| Summary: | Modernisation and easy connectivity across spatial boundaries are providing greater
opportunities for retirees to migrate abroad. In Malaysia, the Malaysia My Second
Home (MM2H) program has been gaining popularity over the last 14 years. It is
a government initiative designed to promote the country as a retirement haven for
affluent foreigners. By studying the Japanese retirement community in Penang, this
paper examines the role and signifcance of the program in supporting retirement
migration. It further identifes the concerns and contributions of the Japanese
retirees as they build their “second lives” in Penang. While the MM2H program has
undergone several enhancements, discussions on the experiences of the Japanese
participants and research observations have highlighted several concerns that
require further improvements. The lack of policy coordination between the various
sectors catering to the expanding needs of foreign retirees, for example, reduces the
chances of maximising participants’ contribution to the local economy. The ability
to track and monitor the movement of participants is equally, if not more, important
as promoting and enticing new ones
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