Malaysia Property Investment For Sale

"Major Malaysian cities flourish under foreign interest."

As one of the principle Dragon Economies Malaysia has a thriving economy, stable if conservative society, highly educated population, excellent health care, good transport links and a growing export and tourism trade whilst offering the most lenient property ownership laws within Asia.

Much of Malaysia’s success could be put down to its multicultural society which has its origins in the country’s colourful history.  With a population that includes Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians, Malaysia has a clear legal system and labour laws are well-formulated to offer employment security.  Education of the workforce is taken seriously and unlike some of its Asian neighbours, literacy rates are high at just under 90% so Malaysian workers tend to be highly motivated especially in the services sector.

Today the country’s main exports are electronic goods and electrical machinery, with a healthy growth in the fields of technology, research and development, finance  and pharmaceuticals, much of it based around the capital Kuala Lumpur.

There are limited restrictions on foreigners working in the country and relaxed laws on foreign property ownership which has resulted in extensive investment by overseas nationals buying here. With a low-cost but high standard of living as well as some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and the oldest rain forest on earth, Malaysia has a thriving tourism industry which offers high rental yields in the holiday destinations.  Strong economic growth and large amounts of foreign investment have also kept the housing marketing buoyant and rental returns high in Kuala Lumpur.

Geography

Situated in south-east Asia Malaysia is made up of two geographical regions, peninsular Malaysia to the west and Malaysian Borneo to the east. Malaysia borders Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. Malaysia is in a good location as it is free from the threat of serious natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Kuala Lumpur is the main city in Malaysia and is also the country's biggest commercial centre. Malaysia contains eighteen mountain ranges and a large proportion of its land is covered with forests and jungles. Malaysia has a warm and humid climate throughout the year with heavy rainfall.

Government

The Malaysian government is a constitutional monarchy and based on parliamentary democracy. Malaysia gained independence from the UK in 1957 but the system still runs by the English common law. The bicameral parliament consists of the senate and the House of Representatives.

Language

Bahasa Malaysia is the official language in Malaysia. Other languages such as English, Chinese, Tamil, Telugu Thai, Malayalam and Panjabi are also widely spoken by some of the Malaysian people. In East Malaysia a lot of people speak their own local language such as Iban and Kadazan.

Standard of Living

Malaysia enjoys a fairly high standard of living especially in main commercial towns and cities such as Kuala Lumpur, Georgetown and Ipoh. The local schools follow the English or American system of teaching and the health care system in Malaysia is very good. The country has a very low unemployment rate and there are no restrictions on foreigners working in the country. Public transport in the country is very modern and efficient.

Once dominated by the raw material trade, the economy of Malaysia is now driven by many sectors. Exports continue to fuel the economy's growth, especially in electronics, and investments in high technology industries, medical technology and pharmaceuticals are growing. Malaysia does export oil and gas and is profiting from high international energy prices, but the rising cost of fuel within the country is forcing authorities to decrease fuel subsidies.

Electronics,palm oil and rubber also remain signicant economic drivers. The country is moving forward with a policy of creating a strong knowledge base in the fields of technology, research and development. Free Trade Zones and high-spec technology parks have also been set up across the country to aid businesses and research companies. Tourism has helped fuel the steady economic growth. 

Key Industries

Foreign trade accounts for more than half of the country's GDP. The country's main exports are electronic goods and electrical machinery, petroleum and liquefied natural gas, wood and wood producsts, palm oil, rubber, textiles and chemicals.  Malaysia's main trading partners are the USA, Singapore and Japan.

Kuala Lumpur

Fast developing into a cosmopolitan, high-tech city, Kuala Lumpur is attracting increasing levels of investment from commercial sectors and is seeing larger numbers of immigrants. It is often the first location property buyers consider and as a result prices here are the highest in the country. New residents are drawn from both overseas and local markets and tend to be young professionals seeking better employment prospects in a growing city. Property is mainly in tower blocks. 

Strong economic growth, low interest rates, the ease of mortgage borrowing and an element of volatility have all pushed prices in Kuala Lumpur. 

Suburban locations are also popular and many new developments are targeting high-income families with new communities offering on-site facilities such as golf courses, pools, shops and services. The Klang Valley and Monte Kiara in particular are attracting high levels of investors and developers. 

Sepang Gold Coast

This 22-kilometre stretch of coastline on the western coast, around 25 minutes from Kuala Lumpur airport, is already the location for the Formula 1 Grand Prix circuit, Malaysia's top theme park and is earmarked for further development including hotels, retail outlets, leisure parks and a whole new residential town. 

Port Dickson

Port Dickson is a popular coastal resort, around an hour's drive from Kuala Lumpur, and is attractive to the weekend and second-home market. There has been an increase in development in this area with large numbers of condominiums and water chalets appearing. Though the resort has attractive beaches to the south there are also petrochemical plants further north which may deter some buyers.

Penang

Penang is a heavily developed tourist island with a growing resident population. Many believe it is now overdeveloped, with a large number of new complexes and condominium buildings. Most of the development is on the west coast. 

Langkawi

Langkawi is actually a cluster of 99 islands on the Straits of Malacca, around an hour's flight from Kuala Lumpur. Most people holiday and buy on the main island of the same name. Measuring around 25 kilometres, the island is known for its long, white sand beaches, traditional stilted fishing villages and upmarket resort complexes. Much of the land here is jungle and designated as reserve land, which means it cannot be sold to non-nationals. The property market here is not as developed as in Penang. 

Sarawak and Sabah

Situated on the island of Borneo, Sarawak is the largest state in Malaysia and is a heavily forested region that the government is actively targeting for growth. Tax incentives and protection of foreign investment are two of the steps it has taken to encourage investment in the region. Tourism is a major activity, as is palm oil production.