Emigration inquiries spike as unending protests drive more families to consider quitting Hong Kong

Malaysia, Australia, Canada and Britain are top choices among those seeking help to move since protests began

Parents anxious about children’s prospects say ongoing unrest has made them lose hope in Hong Kong’s future

Reading Time:5 minutes

Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters have repeatedly taken over the streets, often clashing violently with police. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 8:00am, 23 Nov 2019Updated: 8:28am, 23 Nov 2019

On a recent weekend when anti-government protesters were engaging in violent street clashes with the police, about 40 middle-aged Hongkongers sat in the conference room of a Wan Chai office, learning how to emigrate to Malaysia.

They were a mix of men and women, in their 40s and 50s mainly, executives, businessmen, professionals and housewives. Dressed casually, they were busy taking notes and pictures of the presentation slides.

They were all looking for somewhere to move to, away from the chaos of Hong Kong.

The presentation that day was about the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) scheme, a residence-by-investment programme offered by the Southeast Asian country.

To get a renewable 10-year residence permit, applicants aged over 50 must make a bank deposit of HK$300,000 in Malaysia after proving they have assets worth at least HK$700,000 and an overseas monthly income of at least HK$20,000. Those under 50 must make a bank deposit of at least HK$600,000.

The discussion was vigorous, with many questions.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x