Robert and Eileen Slater
Robert Slater and his wife, Eileen, searched for the best island in Asia on which to retire. After visiting several exquisite locales, the couple from Prestwick, Scotland, chose The Pearl of the Orient - Penang.
They shared their enthusiasm with me during our interview when I had the pleasure of meeting up with them at their apartment, located along the tourist belt in Tanjung Bungah. Lounging on their pool deck, the couple were relaxed and contented with their newly-adopted home in Penang, Malaysia.
The Expat: How long have you lived in malaysia under the malaysia my Second Home (mm2H) programme?
Slater: We have been here for six months.
The Expat: why did you choose penang as the place to live in malaysia?
Slater: For one important reason - we love the island life! Actually, we were on holiday in Langkawi and Thailand but we thought Penang was the best place since it is quite advanced in terms of development and is an ideal retirement destination.
The Expat: Have you lived in or visited malaysia prior to settling down here?
Slater: Yes, we have taken several trips here in the past ten years and to other countries as well.
The Expat: what was the main reason you decided to come and live here under the mm2H programme?
Slater: We like the MM2H programme because it allowed us to ship our car here from Britain and obtain ten-year visas. Penang also fit the bill as the home-awayfrom-home because of the large expat community and of course, the good food! Another good thing is that English is widely spoken here.
The Expat: Do you have any children?
Slater: Yes. We have one daughter, Suzanne, and a granddaughter.
The Expat: what do you least like about living in malaysia?
Slater: Too many high-rise buildings in Penang. In Bali, the buildings are no higher than the palm trees, so it is beautiful. The haze and crime sprees here are quite disturbing as well.
The Expat: Have you travelled out of malaysia in the last year?
Slater: Yes. We have been to India, Africa, Thailand, China and Singapore. We even took the Eastern Orient Express from Singapore to Bangkok. I wore my Scottish kilt the other passengers were quite entertained.
The Expat: Have you taken any trips within malaysia in the last year?
Slater: Yes. We visited Pangkor Island and Terengganu. Our next trip will be to Cameron Highlands.
The Expat: Do you socialise mostly with foreigners, malaysians or both?
Slater: Both! In fact, I joined the Penang Hash House Harriers. I find that it is a good way to socialise with Malaysians and other expats.
The Expat: what do you miss most about your home country?
Slater: (Laughter) Nothing, really. We don't miss the cold weather or the long darkness during the day. We were determined to retire here and didn't look back. The tropical climate here in Malaysia is wonderful for us.
The Expat: How do you pass your time - hobbies, activities or participation in organisations?
Slater: (Robert) I love Hashing! I am also in the middle of writing a book about my experience of working in a shipyard. (Eileen) I joined the International Women's Association (IWA) currently learning how to play Mahjong and to speak Mandarin. (Laughter) I sometimes feel there are not enough hours in the day to do everything.
The Expat: How happy are you with the mm2H programme? Is there anything you would like to see changed?
Slater: It would be good if the MM2H programme could be packaged better. Rather than us going through the hassle of visiting three different Government departments to settle our passport, visa and MM2H ID card matters, we feel all the important forms should be in one package. Other than that, we are quite happy with the programme.
By Aida Ahmad
