Pat and Tom Collinson
The Expat's MM2H Interviewees this month are the Collinsons who moved here from Brisbane in Australia. After a lifetime of working, raising children and looking after big houses with large gardens, they decided they wanted to travel and a small apartment which they could lock up and leave would be ideal.
The couple, Pat who is 52 and Tom, 55, were originally from Yorkshire in England. They spoke to Helen Ong from their newly-acquired apartment in Penang.
The Expat: How long have you lived in Malaysia under the MM2H programme?
Two months.
The Expat: Which part of Malaysia do you live?
Batu Ferringhi, Penang
The Expat: Why did you choose this part of Malaysia?
Tom: I first visited Penang in 2001 when I worked in Lumut Power Station for three months. When I returned here with Pat for a holiday in 2004, she liked it too. We thought it would be a nice place to live in.
The Expat: What was the main reason you decided to come and live here under the MM2H programme?
Tom: I like the stable government which looks after its people. And it is partly for fi nancial reasons, some things are cheaper in Australia, although overall Malaysia is cheaper. We also intend to travel every four to six weeks, and will use Penang as a springboard to visit the rest of SE Asia.
The Expat: What do you like most about living in Malaysia?
Pat: The food, definitely! I love all kinds of Asian food, especially Chicken Rice.
Tom: The food is great, but the people are nice too. I especially like the way the different cultures are so tolerant.
The Expat: What do you like least about living in Malaysia?
Tom: The bureaucracy, which is very 1950s. We tend to stick to the rules, but the rules keep changing, and also can be interpreted inso many different ways they leave us quite bewildered.
Pat: Not having any friends! Also, like Tom said, the bureaucracy. Pensions is my area of expertise, and I don't know any country which pays out a government pension of RM10K a month, and it's difficult to try to explain the way the Australian Pension Scheme works.
The Expat: Do you socialise mostly with foreigners, Malaysians or both?
Other expats as we don't know many Malaysians yet.
The Expat: Please add any other comments you would like to make about living in Malaysia, if any.
It's really nice to live here and experience a different culture.
The Expat: What do you miss most about your home country?
Pat: Cheap wine! It hurts to have to pay two or three times the price.
Tom: I don't miss much about Australia actually!
The Expat: Do you have children?
Yes, we have two. Dave who is 28 and a chartered accountant, and Helen, who is 24 and is a banker. They both live in Brisbane.
The Expat: Please tell us how you pass your time - hobbies, activities or participation in organisations, charities.
Pat: I will be joining the IWA (International Women's Association) next week.
Tom: I've also been told about the International Businessmen's Association. We also plan to travel a lot, and may also join a local club.
The Expat: How happy are you with the MM2H programme?
Tom: Overall we are very happy with it. I think it's a great business opportunity for the Malaysian Government.
Pat: I think it's a great opportunity for us to live in this country.
By Aida Ahmad
