This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on February 13, 2023 - February 19, 2023

Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) has approved 96 of 679 applications received under the DE Rantau programme, a work and travel visa project run by Malaysia Digital Catalytic Programmes (Pemangkin).

According to CEO Mahadhir Aziz, the programme has had close to 4,000 interested leads since its launch in October last year, and about 17%, or 679 applications, have been submitted and are being processed.

“Those who have expressed interest are those who have registered but did not complete the application submission form or pay for it. We only process completed applications, which are 679 as of last week. It’s quite a tedious process and while we have systems online, the verification will have to be done both manually and with the employers and other agencies as well,” Mahadhir said at MDEC’s 2023 Digital Economy Outlook & Plans Moving Forward media roundtable on Jan 16.

Slightly more than 60% of submitted applications have keep in view (KIV) status due to a lack of documentation as well as verification of the application.

As for applications set up for approval, Mahadhir says 25%, or 165 applications out of 679, have been tabled for approval so far, together with the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN) and the Immigration Department of Malaysia.

As at January, 60% or 96 applications were approved, including that of Japanese YouTuber couple iChang and Jimmy, who applied for the DE Rantau programme and went viral when they did not get it in time and had to leave the country.

The YouTube couple went viral on Jan 14 after uploading a tearful and touching video to their YouTube channel explaining that they had no choice but to return to Japan as their tourist visas had reached their limit of 90 days per visit and 180 days per year.

The pair also said that they applied for the DE Rantau programme but that the approval process was taking too long.

If successful, the programme can contribute close to RM5 billion to the local economy by 2025, Mahadhir had said last year.

The agency is also catching up with the backlog of applications and making sure that they do not lose out on talent, Mahadhir said. “If you don’t have sponsors, MDEC will sponsor you to get the pass and if that nomad were to commit crimes, we are exposed as their sponsor. It’s to that level that [we are going to] ensure that this [DE Rantau] works and becomes a concept that can be operationalised well.

“Of course, MDEC has no [enforcement] authority, so we leverage immigration, the local police and other authorities to help out with that.

“I think we can see how [foreigners view] DE Rantau as suitable for their purpose and where they want to work; they like Malaysia and want to be able to stay here and still serve their job, whether it’s businesses overseas or creating their own business in Malaysia as well.”

Both foreign and local remote workers — specifically those who are self-employed or freelancing in digital jobs — who enlist under the programme are welcome to move to earmarked living and working hubs in destinations such as Penang and Langkawi. The nomads are not restricted to those areas but these places serve as ports for them to explore the country and a base to explore the rest of the region.

To sweeten the deal, MDEC has worked out a long list of discounts on services and attractive packages provided by ecosystem partners such as Grab, AirAsia, LokaLocal and PayNet.

To qualify, the nomads should be earning more than US$24,000 annually. Foreigners will be issued a multiple-entry Professional Visit Pass, enabling them to stay in the country for up to a year, which can be extended for another 12 months.

According to the FAQs, these nomads could be digital freelancers, independent contractors and remote workers in the domains of IT (including software development, UX, UI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning and data-related jobs), digital marketing, digital creative content and digital content development, among others.

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