I READ with great interest in The Star (June 5) about how the Malaysian economy and especially the property sector will benefit from 1,000's of “Second Homers” that are moving to Malaysia as a safe retirement haven.  

This also helps to highlight how progressive Malaysia is and how it has become the “shining star” of the Islamic world. 

However behind the scenes things are not as they seem.  

Since the Tourism Ministry took over promoting and accepting applications for the “Malaysia, My Second Home” (MM2H) programme, the Immigration people seemed to have stopped working on MM2h applications. 

What used to take two to three weeks for an application to be processed and approved is now taking over nine weeks. And there is still no approval, just a voice saying the application is still under review.  

Now if the applicants meets the guidelines, what is there to review?  

I know of two applicants who submitted their MM2h application before March 28 and still can't get any answers.  

One of them had been here during the Emergency and risked his life fighting the communist insurgents, and this is how he is rewarded when he chooses to want to retire here. 

The Prime Minister needs to give a directive to the Immigration that they either approve all new applications in 30 days, as it says on their web site, or write a letter to Tourism's new “one-stop shop” and explain why its not approved, as otherwise people will stop applying.  

NOT-SO-HAPPY ''SECOND HOMER”, 
Subang Jaya.