Foreign Ownership of Islands in Malaysia, Asia

Foreign buyers in Malaysia are restricted on the type of real estate they can buy. If you’re looking at buying a private island in Malaysia, first determine if the island falls under a category that permits foreign ownership. In order to buy any sort of property, non residents must get permission from the Foreign Investment Committee of the Prime Minister’s Department. Foreigners are not allowed to own Malay reserved land.

It is imperative that a competent local lawyer be involved in any property transactions in Malaysia. The process is well documented and regulated, but everybody has a different experience. In the emerging market of Malaysia, it’s often a case of who you know when it comes to simplifying the buyer process. Beyond the restrictions placed on foreigners, all owners of property are treated the same and both foreigners and locals are protected by the same real estate laws.

Regional Statistics for Malaysia, Asia

Location:

outheastern Asia, peninsula bordering Thailand and northern one-third of the island of Borneo, bordering Indonesia, Brunei, and the South China Sea, south of Vietnam

Population:

24,385,858

Languages:

Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai

Capital:

Kuala Lumpur

Currency:

Ringgit

Climate:

tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons

Temperature Range:

+15 to +33

Terrain:

coastal plains rising to hills and mountains

Natural Hazards:

flooding, landslides, forest fires