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Johor records highest property overhang in Q1 2020

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Johor records highest property overhang in Q1 2020

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PUTRAJAYA: According to the latest property market transaction data for 2019 to Q1 2020 by the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), Johor has recorded the highest number of unsold completed properties in Malaysia with 5,468 units, making up 18.4% of overhang to date.

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PUTRAJAYA: According to the latest property market transaction data for 2019 to Q12020 by the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), Johor has recorded the highest number of unsold completed properties in Malaysia with 5,468 units, making up 18.4% of overhang to date.

Out of these overhang units in the state, 1,711 are condominium units or apartments and 2,086 are two to three-storey terrace houses.

As compared to the same quarter in 2019 (Q12019), Johor recorded a total number of 6,057 units, of which 1,974 were condominium units or apartments and 2,160 were two to three-storey terrace houses.

Overall overhang properties recorded in Q12020 showed that there are a total of 29,698 overhang units, amounting to a total value of RM18.91 billion.

From that number, 35% of all overhang units or 10,401 units are in the RM300,001 to RM600,000 price range.

More than half of the overhang are condominium/apartment type, making up 54.7% with 16,241 units.

Perak emerged as having the second-highest overhang with a total of 4,919 units with 16.6%, followed by Selangor with a total of 4,844 units or 16.3%.

The report also revealed that the next highest was Penang accounting for 10.2% with 3,043 overhang units, and Kuala Lumpur at 8.7% with 2,584 units. Sarawak makes up 6.6% with 1,966 units and Pahang has 5.1% at 1,510 units.

The remaining states that make up less than 5% respectively and in descending order are Sabah (4.8%), Kedah (4.7%), Negeri Sembilan (3.7%), Melaka (2.3%) and Terengganu (1.7%).

The states that account for less than 1% each are Kelantan (0.5%), and Perlis (0.1%). The only place with zero overhang units is Putrajaya.

NAPIC property market division deputy director Tee Siew Bee said the overall property market was slowing down this year due to a mismatch in demand and supply for certain states/districts/ locations, types and prices.

"The residential overhang situation has continued to improve, but remains a major concern. There are fewer new launches that might help to reduce the number of overhang and unsold units," she said during the Real Estate & Housing Developers' Association's (Rehda) event entitled "Selling a property successfully in the new decade - is big data & proptech the ultimate solution?"

In response to the event, MyProperty Data CEO Thor Joe Hock highlighted how big data plays an important role in the real estate industry and why transaction data needs to be analysed.

MyProperty Data is a property data, analytics and solutions provider to financial institutions, credit rating agencies, valuers, real estate agents and developers.

"Let's look at the property transaction data and how it can be turned into something that we can use. It triggers data analytics curiosity about what the data can tell us.

"It makes us wonder what insights we can derive using the transaction data. And lastly, big data analytics helps us gain relevance and context from internal customer data and transaction data," he said.

According to Thor, big data analytics has the capability to analyse buyer profiles and patterns.

"For instance, can Malaysians really afford to buy homes? With big data, we are able to analyse the purchasing trend for houses below RM300,000.

"Based on our data analysis, it shows that the rapid increases in property prices suggest the number of Malaysians able to afford homes may have decreased," Thor revealed.

The analysis also showed that the transactions below RM300,000 made up 86% of total transactions in the year 2000, however, in 2009, transactions of the same price range made up only 65%.

By 2019, only 32% of total transactions were below RM300,000. The median age of buyers within this price category remained consistent, between 32-35. Additionally, inflation appears to have accelerated since the market peak of 2011.

Rehda's event highlighted how property developers can move forward in boosting their property sales, whilst easing the process of home ownership in these tough times by embracing Big Data and PropTech.

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Johor records highest property overhang in Q1 2020

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PUTRAJAYA: According to the latest property market transaction data for 2019 to Q1 2020 by the National Property Information Centre (NAPIC), Johor has recorded the highest number of unsold completed properties in Malaysia with 5,468 units, making up 18.4% of overhang to date.

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Coronavirus: Malaysia to reopen schools in stages from June 24

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Coronavirus: Malaysia to reopen schools in stages from June 24

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KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS/THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia will begin reopening schools from June 24, its education minister said on Wednesday (June 10), as the country enters recovery mode after three months of strict curbs on movement and businesses to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

South-east Asia's third-largest economy began lifting most coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday, after the government declared that the outbreak was under control.

Schools will be reopened in stages, beginning with students facing public examinations and equivalent international school examinations this year, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said.

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KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS/THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia will begin reopening schools from June 24, its education minister said on Wednesday (June 10), as the country enters recovery mode after three months of strict curbs on movement and businesses to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

South-east Asia's third-largest economy began lifting most coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday, after the government declared that the outbreak was under control.

Schools will be reopened in stages, beginning with students facing public examinations and equivalent international school examinations this year, Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said.

Malaysia has reported 8,336 cases and 117 deaths.

The reopening of these classes will involve some 500,000 students at 2,440 schools, said Mr Mohd Radzi in a live televised broadcast.

He said these students would be taking SPM and STPM examinations - the equivalent O levels and A levels in Malaysia respectively, the Higher Islamic Religious Certificate and the Malaysian Vocational Certificate, as well as international equivalent exams.

He said the ministry's decision to allow schools to resume was based on advice of the National Security Council and the Health Ministry.

Mr Mohd Radzi stressed the importance of adhering to the healthcare protocols for these students to avoid a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Students have not been able to attend school since Malaysia imposed the movement control order on March 18.

"We hope parents and guardians will ensure their children are healthy before sending them to school," Mr Mohd Radzi said.

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Coronavirus: Malaysia to reopen schools in stages from June 24

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KUALA LUMPUR (REUTERS) - Malaysia will begin reopening schools from June 24, its education minister said on Wednesday (June 10), as the country enters recovery mode after three months of strict curbs on movement and businesses to contain the spread of the coronavirus.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

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Malaysia says dengue cases expected to rise nationwide from this month to September

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Malaysia says dengue cases expected to rise nationwide from this month to September

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PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A rise in dengue cases is expected as the second wave hits Malaysia from early June and runs until September, the Health Ministry said on Monday (June 15).

Health Minister Adham Baba said from January up to June 13, there have been 50,511 cases of dengue fever and 88 deaths.

During the same same period last year, there were 56,819 cases and also 88 deaths, said Datuk Seri Dr Adham.

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PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A rise in dengue cases is expected as the second wave hits Malaysia from early June and runs until September, the Health Ministry said on Monday (June 15).

Health Minister Adham Baba said from January up to June 13, there have been 50,511 cases of dengue fever and 88 deaths.

During the same same period last year, there were 56,819 cases and also 88 deaths, said Datuk Seri Dr Adham.

"The cumulative dengue fever cases for the period this year is less than in 2019.

"However, since eight weeks ago, there has been a rising trend of an average 8 per cent increase every week.

"Based on that trend, the Health Ministry is expecting a rise in dengue fever cases in the second wave, starting in early June and running until September," he said in a statement in conjunction with Asean Dengue Day 2020.

The theme "10 Minutes to Destroy Aedes" has been chosen for the national-level Asean Dengue Day this year to spur community cooperation to curb dengue fever.

He said the theme brought the message that communities must spend at least 10 minutes per week to clean and destroy any breeding grounds for Aedes mosquitoes.

"These efforts will be beefed up with the involvement of Combi (Communication for Behavioural Impact) volunteers nationwide.

"Their role is to help the Health Ministry conduct dengue awareness programmes via the new normal approach," he said.

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Malaysia says dengue cases expected to rise nationwide from this month to September

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PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A rise in dengue cases is expected as the second wave hits Malaysia from early June and runs until September, the Health Ministry said on Monday (June 15). Health Minister Adham Baba said from January up to June 13, there have been 50,511 cases of dengue fever and 88 deaths.

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Singapore, Malaysia agree to allow cross-border travel for some residents and business travellers

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Singapore, Malaysia agree to allow cross-border travel for some residents and business travellers

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SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to allow cross-border travel for certain groups of people, including residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes.

This was discussed between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin in a telephone call on Friday (Jun 26), said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a press statement on Saturday.

The two leaders agreed to establish a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and a Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for different groups of travellers.

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(Updated: )

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SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to allow cross-border travel for certain groups of people, including residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes.

This was discussed between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin in a telephone call on Friday (Jun 26), said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a press statement on Saturday.

The two leaders agreed to establish a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and a Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) for different groups of travellers.

The RGL will facilitate cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes.

Travellers would have to adhere to a set of COVID-19 prevention and public health measures, said MFA, adding that the measures are being discussed and will have to be mutually agreed upon by both countries.

The PCA, on the other hand, will allow Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to periodically return to their home countries for short-term home leave.

"They will be able to return home for leave after spending at least three consecutive months in their country of work, and they will be allowed to re-enter their country of work after their home leave," MFA said.

Mr Lee reiterated Singapore's commitment to address the needs of Singaporeans and Malaysians who were commuting between both countries before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted travel.

Both leaders agreed that any bilateral arrangement would have to include mutually agreed public health protocols, to preserve the public health and safety of citizens on both sides, while taking into account the medical resources available in both countries.

MFA said Mr Lee and Mr Muhyiddin have tasked their officials to "work expeditiously" on the operational details of the RGL and PCA.
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Officials will also continue discussions on other proposals to gradually facilitate more cross-border movement of people, to ensure a stable recovery by both Singapore and Malaysia from the COVID-19 situation, the ministry added.

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Singapore, Malaysia agree to allow cross-border travel for some residents and business travellers

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(Updated: ) Share this content SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to allow cross-border travel for certain groups of people, including residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes. This was discussed between Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin in a telephone call on Friday (Jun 26), said Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in a press statement on Saturday.

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Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam... How some countries kept Covid at bay

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Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam... How some countries kept Covid at bay

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Just months ago, much of south-east Asia appeared on the brink of a major coronavirus epidemic. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan had escalated at the worst possible time, ahead of the lunar new year, when Chinese tourists usually flock to hotels and resorts across the region.

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Just months ago, much of south-east Asia appeared on the brink of a major coronavirus epidemic. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan had escalated at the worst possible time, ahead of the lunar new year, when Chinese tourists usually flock to hotels and resorts across the region.

Thailand was described as especially vulnerable due to the large number of travellers it had received from Wuhan, and by the end of January it had the second highest number of cases outside of China. As footage circulated online, showing panic in Wuhan hospitals and residents collapsing in the streets, health experts wondered how countries with far weaker health systems would cope.

The virus has caused deaths and misery across south-east Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia and workers' dorms in Singapore, where officials are struggling to control outbreaks. But elsewhere in the region, the worst fears have so far been mostly avoided.

cases in thailand

Thailand has recorded 58 deaths, while Malaysia has confirmed 120. Vietnam, which has won praise for its response, has not recorded a single fatality. Public awareness has been key in countries that have had such relative success, said Dale Fisher, professor at the National University of Singapore and chair of the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network at the World Health Organization.

Clear messaging, he adds, is essential. "When you have any country with a weak leadership then people get confused. They're not sure what to do and who to believe, and then you legitimise ignorance," said Fisher.

Experts say that by acting quickly, and by drawing on well-established systems in place following the Sars epidemic in 2002, health departments in many south-east Asian countries have avoided the explosion in community transmission seen elsewhere.

In Cambodia, 2,900 health workers were trained and deployed throughout January and February. "They implemented aggressive rapid detection and contact tracing," said Dr Li Ailan, WHO representative to Cambodia. Meanwhile in Thailand, more than 1 million village health volunteers also monitored communities.

In Malaysia, meetings to prepare a response were held as early as December, said Dr Fifa Rahman, who reviewed the country's handling of the pandemic for the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative. Reagents needed for diagnostic tests were ordered early, and plans were made to reorganise hospitals in the event of a large outbreak.

As in many other south-east Asian countries, all those diagnosed as Covid-19 positive were hospitalised, even if they were asymptomatic.

Countries in the region have not performed mass testing on the same scale as South Korea, but instead focused on high-risk individuals or targeted mass testing across buildings or neighbourhoods where positive cases were identified. Some question whether low testing rates mean cases have remained hidden. In Cambodia, 17,000 people have been tested so far, with 126 infections detected, most related to foreign travel. There are likely to be undetected infections, but hospitals are not overwhelmed, as in parts of Indonesia. Cambodia has reported no deaths.

Mistakes have been made. Cambodia's authoritarian leader, Hun Sen, caused nervousness by downplaying the virus during the early stages of the outbreak. In Singapore, neglect of migrant workers, who live in overcrowded dormitories, caused the vast majority of its 40,197 cases. Malaysia's biggest spike followed an event at a mosque near Kuala Lumpur, after a failure to prevent mass religious gatherings.

On the whole, Malaysia's response has been led by health experts rather than politicians, said Rahman. When the health minister suggested on TV that drinking warm water was a cure, his comments were quickly rejected by Dr Noor Hisham, the director-general of health. "There was a clear conflict but that conflict was good," said Rahman. "In the UK there has been a pretty close synergy between political leaders and technical experts. I don't know if that results in better global health responses."

Likewise, when the Malaysian deputy health minister, Noor Azmi Ghazali, was photographed breaking strict lockdown rules, he was fined. It sent a strong message to the public, she added.

cases in malaysia

Restrictions on movement in Malaysia were particularly strict. Only one person per family was allowed outside for groceries, and people were not allowed out for daily exercise.

It has been suggested that heat or humidity could slow transmission, but experts say there is no evidence for this. Other factors, such as the rural profile of countries such as Cambodia, could influence transmission, Li said. "High-risk events are not common here," she added. The young demographic in some countries may also mean populations are less vulnerable.

Yet such factors, experts say, cannot be relied on to protect a country as business reopens. In Bangkok, which enjoyed a brief moment of clean air during its lockdown, the roads are once again heaving with traffic. Markets have come back to life - though with plastic screens at dining tables, near ubiquitous mask-wearing and temperature scanning. As countries look to ease travel bans, and rebuild economies, health teams are aware there is no room for complacency.
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Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam... How some countries kept Covid at bay

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Just months ago, much of south-east Asia appeared on the brink of a major coronavirus epidemic. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan had escalated at the worst possible time, ahead of the lunar new year, when Chinese tourists usually flock to hotels and resorts across the region.

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This Malaysian stock has tripled in price due to the coronavirus pandemic. It could climb further

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This Malaysian stock has tripled in price due to the coronavirus pandemic. It could climb further

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The share price of Malaysia’s Top Glove, the world’s largest medical glove maker, has more than tripled this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic — and analysts said the stock could still climb higher.

The company’s shares listed on the Malaysian stock exchange have surged by more than 255% this year as of Thursday, according to Refinitiv data. Its Singapore-listed shares experienced a similar jump of over 256%, the data showed.

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The share price of Malaysia's Top Glove, the world's largest medical glove maker, has more than tripled this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic - and analysts said the stock could still climb higher.

The company's shares listed on the Malaysian stock exchange have surged by more than 255% this year as of Thursday, according to Refinitiv data. Its Singapore-listed shares experienced a similar jump of over 256%, the data showed.

A surge in demand for gloves "from virtually every country in the world" as a result of the coronavirus pandemic pushed Top Glove's quarterly earnings to a record high, the company announced on Thursday. The coronavirus disease or Covid-19, which first emerged in China late last year, has since spread to at least 188 countries and territories globally.

Many analysts are bullish on the stock. Based on data compiled by Refinitiv, 18 out of 22 analysts have a "strong buy" or "buy" recommendation on Top Glove. The analysts have a median target price of 20.28 Malaysian ringgit ($4.75) for the stock - higher than Thursday's close of 16.70 ringgit ($3.91) per share.

Ng Chi Hoong, an analyst at Malaysian investment bank Affin Hwang, raised his target price for Top Glove to 22.40 ringgit ($5.24) per share "to factor in the stronger demand outlook" while maintaining his "buy" recommendation.

"We believe that concerns that demand could fall dramatically as new COVID-19 infection cases start to fall is overly hyped, as demand from China has continued to grow despite having successfully controlled the spread of the virus," Ng wrote in a Thursday note.

Its net profit in the quarter ended May leaped 366% year over year to 347.9 million Malaysian ringgit ($81.4 million) - almost equal to the previous full-year profit of 367.5 million ringgit ($86.0 million). That came on the back of a record quarterly revenue of 1.69 billion ringgit ($395.5 million) - a gain of 413% compared to a year ago.

"The Group's extraordinary performance was attributed to unparalleled growth in Sales Volume, on the back of the global COVID-19 pandemic," Top Glove said in its latest financial statement.

"Monthly sales orders went up by some 180%," it added.

But "the best is yet to come" and the company could break its quarterly record, Executive Director Lim Cheong Guan said in an online briefing, as reported by Reuters. That's because many customers have made orders way in advance - for delivery more than a year later - "for fear of losing out," according to the report.

Such an increase in demand has led to an increase in the average selling price of Top Glove's products by as much as 30% since the start of this year. The company said it has added production capacity to meet that demand.

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This Malaysian stock has tripled in price due to the coronavirus pandemic. It could climb further

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The share price of Malaysia's Top Glove, the world's largest medical glove maker, has more than tripled this year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic - and analysts said the stock could still climb higher. The company's shares listed on the Malaysian stock exchange have surged by more than 255% this year as of Thursday, according to Refinitiv data.

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Starbucks Malaysia treats autistic artist who drew the Health DG portrait to 'Coffee Chat' and gifts

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Starbucks Malaysia treats autistic artist who drew the Health DG portrait to 'Coffee Chat' and gifts

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — A portrait of the Malaysia Health Director-General Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham drawn on a Starbucks cup delighted the social media last Thursday.

And the passionate artist in 27-year-old Luqman Hakim who is autistic was approached by the coffee chain, invited to their flagship store at Starbucks Reserve in Berjaya Times Square and treated to a "Coffee Chat" — an interactive journey between a barista and customer which encompasses learning about the origin of the coffee.

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 - A portrait of the Malaysia Health Director-General Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham drawn on a Starbucks cup delighted the social media last Thursday.

And the passionate artist in 27-year-old Luqman Hakim who is autistic was approached by the coffee chain, invited to their flagship store at Starbucks Reserve in Berjaya Times Square and treated to a "Coffee Chat" - an interactive journey between a barista and customer which encompasses learning about the origin of the coffee.

The 'Coffee Chat' also includes a showcase of a particular brewing method apart from describing a coffee's aroma and flavour notes.

Luqman, an avid coffee drinker said that he spent most of his time in a Starbuck store where he would usually draw various comic arts and even portraits.

"My day starts as early as 8am at Starbucks Bangi Gateway, which is close to my home."

"But when inspiration comes, I also travel to Starbucks Reserve at Berjaya Times Square or the one in Bukit Bintang Junction for my daily drawing therapy."

After the Coffee Chat, Starbucks Malaysia senior marketing and loyalty manager, Thila Chandran surprised Luqman with the newly launched Starbucks and Undefeated collaboration merchandise.

Their latest collaboration with the famous streetwear brand is designed to celebrate creativity, resilience and the indomitable power of the human spirit.

Apart from that, the team also gifted Luqman with a Starbucks Rewards card which includes two-months worth of Starbucks beverages.

"The message of Starbucks and Undefeated does not only resonate with the strength of the Malaysian community post-movement control order but also the same message that Luqman is portraying with his artwork of the Health D-G and the frontliners" said Thilla.

"Following up on this, we plan to work with Luqman to further create something that we hope to give back to the community and to people like Luqman."

Luqman has been a fan of art comics with a realistic style and is very particular about details when it comes to drawings.

Luqman's portrait of the Malaysia Health D-G was meant as a tribute to him and medical frontliners for their dedication to the nation and also doctors who helped him through his personal struggles.

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Starbucks Malaysia treats autistic artist who drew the Health DG portrait to 'Coffee Chat' and gifts | Malay Mail

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KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 - A portrait of the Malaysia Health Director-General Datuk Seri Dr Noor Hisham drawn on a Starbucks cup delighted the social media last Thursday. And the passionate artist in 27-year-old Luqman Hakim who is autistic was approached by the coffee chain, invited to their...

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Let Malaysian students continue with online studies, US urged

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Let Malaysian students continue with online studies, US urged

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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government is hoping that the United States will find a “feasible solution” for Malaysian students to continue pursuing their studies online and remain in the country.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the United States hosts the third largest population of Malaysian students studying abroad.

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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government is hoping that the United States will find a "feasible solution" for Malaysian students to continue pursuing their studies online and remain in the country.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the United States hosts the third largest population of Malaysian students studying abroad.

"Given the importance of the United States as an education destination of choice, the government of Malaysia encourages the US authorities to reassess the need to end this temporary exemption, and find a feasible solution for our students to continue pursuing their studies online and remain in the United States," he said in a statement yesterday.

Hishammuddin added that they were deeply concerned over the fate of more than 6,000 Malaysian students who are pursuing their studies across the United States.

On Monday, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an end to the temporary exemption for foreign students taking online classes for the fall 2020 semester, which begins in August.

These exemptions were previously permitted by the Student and Exchange Visitor Programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Both Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has sued the US government over the move.

Meanwhile, several Malaysian students told The Star that they are in the dark over the ruling, which is expected to have far-reaching implications for international students studying in the United States, especially those resuming lessons this fall semester.

According to the new ruling, international F-1 (academic) and M-1 (vocational) students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States.

Malaysian embassy in Washington has advised Malaysian students to reach out directly to their respective universities, as the status of their fall classes will be crucial in determining their immigration status.

"The embassy is seeking to obtain further clarification from ICE on its latest decision.

"The embassy is also working closely with the Education Malaysia Office and the National Assembly of Malaysian Students in America to monitor the well-being of Malaysian students in the United States," it said.

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Let Malaysian students continue with online studies, US urged

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PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian government is hoping that the United States will find a "feasible solution" for Malaysian students to continue pursuing their studies online and remain in the country. Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said the United States hosts the third largest population of Malaysian students studying abroad.

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The latest on studying in Malaysia for international students

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The latest on studying in Malaysia for international students

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Malaysia is no stranger to international students. Unesco has reported the country has played host to over 120,000 international students, with the majority coming from Bangladesh, China, Nigeria, and Indonesia.

Malaysian students, on the other hand, have gone to the UK, Australia, the US and Egypt to pursue higher education.

But the Covid-19 pandemic affected pretty much every sector worldwide and scuppered the dreams of many to study abroad.

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Malaysia is no stranger to international students. Unesco has reported the country has played host to over 120,000 international students, with the majority coming from Bangladesh, China, Nigeria, and Indonesia.

Malaysian students, on the other hand, have gone to the UK, Australia, the US and Egypt to pursue higher education.

But the Covid-19 pandemic affected pretty much every sector worldwide and scuppered the dreams of many to study abroad.

Travel bans were issued and most countries closed their borders, including Malaysia. Classes were postponed indefinitely in Malaysia from March.

But on June 19, the Malaysian government had some good news for foreign students studying in Malaysia.

Defence Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that international students currently enrolled in public and private institutions of higher learning and international schools could return to the country, provided they observed the SOPs.

But what does this mean for new foreign students planning to study in Malaysia? Can they still apply? What is the procedure? And what about their health and safety if they wish to study here?
Can new foreign students still apply to study in Malaysia?
Most public and private universities are accepting students, so those interested in studying here should go ahead and apply.
What about the visa application?
Before entry into Malaysia, a Visa Approval Letter (VAL) is required. New applications for a VAL or an Electronic Visa Approval Letter (eVAL) are processed via Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS).

However, getting the VAL approved takes time and the Immigration Department of Malaysia has stopped the approval process until further directions from the government.
I was offered a place and have enrolled for the semester to attend online classes? Is a visa still required?
Online classes or not, a visa application must be made. It is a mandatory requirement for all international students to obtain a student pass (visa) before enrolling in any education institution in Malaysia.

Obviously, the situation at the moment bars international students from entering the country, but the institution must ensure an application has been submitted and processed up to the point that it is ready for submission to the Immigration Department for eVAL approval.

Without a visa, a student would not fulfil the entry requirements to pursue the intended course.
If the approval process takes too long and the enrollment date is missed, what happens?
Under these circumstances, most educational institutions would be understanding. They might allow enrolment in the next intake due to unavoidable circumstances.
What can be expected once physically attending classes is possible in Malaysia?
Just follow the SOPs. Students coming in from countries categorised as green zones need not be quarantined while those from red zone countries (as determined by the federal government) must undergo a 14-day quarantine process.

Green zone countries include Singapore, Brunei, New Zealand and Australia.

Keep in mind that SOPs may change from time to time, so always keep up to date.
What about safety and health? What can the Malaysian government guarantee?
Malaysia has a good reputation for its continual investment in healthcare, resulting in medical technology and services being one of its best exports. This has placed the country at the forefront of medical tourism.

EMGS insurance/takaful providers (AXA, AIA and Hong Leong MSIG Takaful) are also extending their coverage of foreign students to cover treatments and hospital admissions related to confirmed Covid-19 cases in Malaysia.
The current situation is ambiguous, but there is no harm in wishing to pursue the dream to study.
Studying abroad provides an opportunity to experience different cultures, learn different languages and make connections that can last a lifetime. Malaysia, especially, is a wonderful country to pursue higher education
Afterschool.my provides information on private and international schools, extra-curricular activities as well as other education-related topics in Malaysia.

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The latest on studying in Malaysia for international students

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Malaysia is no stranger to international students. Unesco has reported the country has played host to over 120,000 international students, with the majority coming from Bangladesh, China, Nigeria, and Indonesia. Malaysian students, on the other hand, have gone to the UK, Australia, the US and Egypt to pursue higher education.

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Covid-19: 70% of cases in Malaysia were asymptomatic, says Health DG

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Covid-19: 70% of cases in Malaysia were asymptomatic, says Health DG

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PUTRAJAYA: Out of the total Covid-19 cases in the country, 70% were from asymptomatic carriers, says Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The Health director-general said that of the total 8,674 positive cases detected in the country as of July 7,70.25% (6,092 cases) were asymptomatic while 29.75% (2,582) were symptomatic.

He said the high number of asymptomatic cases was detected due to the ministry's targeted screening done at, for example, areas placed under enhanced movement control order (MCO), semi-MCO and targeted MCO.

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PUTRAJAYA: Out of the total Covid-19 cases in the country, 70% were from asymptomatic carriers, says Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

The Health director-general said that of the total 8,674 positive cases detected in the country as of July 7,70.25% (6,092 cases) were asymptomatic while 29.75% (2,582) were symptomatic.

He said the high number of asymptomatic cases was detected due to the ministry's targeted screening done at, for example, areas placed under enhanced movement control order (MCO), semi-MCO and targeted MCO.

"We are actually detecting more asymptomatic cases in our community and it is important that we detect them early because of our targeted approach in certain high-risk groups that we have identified in terms of locality," he said during the ministry's press briefing on Covid-19 on Wednesday (July 8).

Dr Noor Hisham added that the ministry will continue to enhance its surveillance and testing on influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) cases as well as pre-operative testing.

He also said temperature checks done at business premises will detect those who are symptomatic.

While he noted that the infectivity of asymptomatic carriers is probably "very low", he said the infectivity of pre-symptomatic individuals is "very high".

"As such, we are unable to differentiate between those who are asymptomatic, who have a very low risk of infection, and those who are pre-symptomatic (before they get the symptoms)."

Dr Noor Hisham added that if those who are pre-symptomatic come to the hospital to get checked and have been found to have the virus, contact tracing will then be done on the people exposed to the individual.

"We are then able to look at their close contacts to isolate them as soon as possible, and prevent them from infecting other people," he said.

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Covid-19: 70% of cases in Malaysia were asymptomatic, says Health DG

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PUTRAJAYA: Out of the total Covid-19 cases in the country, 70% were from asymptomatic carriers, says Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah. The Health director-general said that of the total 8,674 positive cases detected in the country as of July 7,70.25% (6,092 cases) were asymptomatic while 29.75% (2,582) were symptomatic.