Bob and Elena Holland
Bob and Elena Holland were among the first to retire in Malaysia under the Silver Hair programme (replaced by the Malaysia My Second Home programme). They've now switched to the MM2H programme, and they have no regrets about their choice to stay in Malaysia.
The Expat: What is your nationality? How long have you lived in Malaysia under the MM2H programme?
Bob: "We're British, and have lived here in Malaysia for eight years."
The Expat: In which part of Malaysia do you live?
Bob: "On Penang Island, midway between George Town and Batu Ferringhi Beach."
The Expat: Why did you choose this part of Malaysia?
Elena: "Bob had worked in Penang in the early 1970s and still had some old friends there. Having retained his membership in the Penang Club, over the years Penang had provided a good stopover point on our leaves from Hong Kong. Penang has a sizeable Chinese population, and although the majority of which are Hokkien, I've found that Cantonese, Mandarin, and English are so widely spoken that communicating is always easy, and having had a holiday home here since the early 1990s, the transition from work to retirement was almost seamless. We just came once more on holiday, but without a return ticket."
The Expat: What was the main reason you decided to come and live here under the MM2H programme?
Bob: "When considering our eventual retirement destination, we visited Australia, USA, UK, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, and Malta, specifically to choose our retirement home, and in our overall assessment Penang was the most suitable location for us. We were impressed by the ease of communication, the simplicity of the retirement scheme, the relatively low cost of living, the access to top quality medical care, excellent sporting opportunities, easy availability of domestic help, and the year-round pleasant climate."
The Expat: What do you like most about living in Malaysia? What do you like least?
Elena: "We enjoy the leisurely pace of life, the absence of pressure to spend, and the ready availability of all one might need to enjoy life. Our main complaint - levelled at Penang - is that the seawater quality has deteriorated. Our only general complaint is that the Highway Code appears to be a highly classified document with very restricted access. When pulling onto a dual carriageway, it"s still necessary to look in both directions."
The Expat: How happy are you with the MM2H programme?
Bob: "We are very happy with the current MM2H programme, especially the ease of renewal, but we await with interest the implementation of the new arrangements under the Ministry of Tourism. As we have told many of our friends, several of whom are now here under the MM2H programme, the scheme is constantly evolving, and each change so far appears to have been for the better."
The Expat: Please add any other comments you would like to make about living in Malaysia.
Elena: "Malaysia is most suited to those who have things to do with their lives that involve the outdoors. Despite the recent building boom, there are still vast tracts of natural wonder where one may get lost, sometimes for days. But even the cities like urban Penang are filled with wonder. Thanks to a delightful climate, Malaysians spend much of their time outdoors. If you are not Malaysian, however, living here requires a modicum of adjustment and flexibility in order to enjoy it to the fullest. This is Asia; the streets tend to bustle and hum. The pavements are always alive with shoppers, hawkers, tradesmen, craftsmen, tailors, waiters, and kids going to school. Traffic is hectic in the urban areas, but in the countryside the roads wind invitingly into the hills and are often devoid of traffic. The urban bustle can be an irritant, or part of its charm. But one thing is sure about Malaysia: treat it like a friend, and it will treat you the same way."
By Andy Davison
