More retirees choose Penang

More retirees choose Penang
02/03/2006 The Star

PENANG: There are about 500 Japanese senior citizens staying in Penang under the Malaysia My Second Home programme.

Consul-General of Japan to Penang, Takahito Narumiya said they hoped to double the number by the end of this year.

“More Japanese are expected to spend their retirement years in Penang because the state is a beautiful place.

“We hope to increase the number to about 2,000 by end of next year,” he told reporters after paying a courtesy call on Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon at the latter's Komtar office on Tuesday.

Narumiya said his two-year tenure in Penang would be expiring soon and he would return to the Foreign Affairs Ministry in Tokyo.

“My stay in Penang has been very memorable as the people here are so kind and friendly,” he added.

Narumiya said he also hoped the bilateral ties between Japan and Malaysia would continue to grow with increased investments from more Japanese factories in the state.