Govt mulls PR status for foreign spouses of Malaysians abroad

Published: Thursday January 13, 2011 MYT 4:34:00 PM
Govt mulls PR status for foreign spouses of Malaysians abroad

BOSTON: The Government plans to accord permanent resident (PR) status to foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens who are abroad, to encourage them to return to serve Malaysia.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the effort was among incentives introduced by the Government to ensure Malaysia achieved its goal of becoming a high-income nation by 2020.

He said the Government was more open and flexible now in giving the PR status and the move was not only for those who had professional skill or background, but others, as well.

"They must be qualified and have skills to help in nation-building.

"They must also have 'ingredients' that Malaysia wants," he said, when responding to a question at a dinner hosted by him for Malaysian students and the community here on Wednesday.

Also present were his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman and the Malaysian Consulate-General in New York, Mohd Zamruni Khalid.

Muhyiddin is in the United States for a six-day working visit to Boston and Washington DC.

He said the Government was also flexible in according PR status to foreign professionals so that they could contribute in developing the country.

"Recently, the Government offered PR status to a few top foreign chief executive officers. They were surprised to get an offer from the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak)," he said.

To another question, the deputy prime minister said the government was providing a host of incentives to attract Malaysian professionals abroad to return and serve the country. - Bernama