{
  "id": 4817894,
  "title": "Juwai IQI: Malaysia among top destinations for Chinese property buyers, investment on track to top RM1.6b a year",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/juwai-iqi-malaysia-among-top-destinations-for-chinese-property-buyers-4817894",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-01T07:41:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/09/01/juwai-iqi-malaysia-among-top-destinations-for-chinese-property-buyers-investment-on-track-to-top-rm16b-a-year/233542"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — Malaysia has become a leading destination for Chinese property buyers, with its share of inquiries reaching the highest level in a decade, according to new insights from Juwai IQI. The profile of Chinese buyers in Malaysia is shifting from offshore investors to expatriates and families looking to purchase homes to live in. Kashif Ansari, co-founder and group chief executive officer of Juwai IQI, stated that the country's appeal has grown, with Malaysia moving up from sixth to fourth place in global property searches by Chinese buyers. In 2024, Malaysia attracted 2.8% of global property inquiries from Chinese buyers, rising to 4.5% in 2025 and a peak of 7.3% in the first half of 2025. In the first quarter of 2025, the market saw a 1.8% increase in sales of homes valued at RM1 million and above, with these properties accounting for 9.2% of all transactions. Kashif believes the demand for premium homes indicates sustained interest, driven by strong participation from Chinese buyers. In 2025, Chinese buyers invested more than RM1.6 billion in residential property, accounting for about 51% of total foreign investment. The motivation for these buyers has shifted beyond pure investment, with a focus on education and lifestyle. Many parents are attracted to expat hubs like Mont Kiara, Desa ParkCity, and Penang, which offer quality international schools. The Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme continues to be a key driver of this trend, with over 50% of MM2H applications coming from Chinese applicants. Last year, the government approved applications from 9,038 participants, contributing an estimated RM3.875 billion in economic value to the country and directly investing RM1.51 billion in real estate. Despite concerns about the programme losing momentum, Kashif noted that approval rates have significantly increased, with more than 3,000 visas and 9,000 participants approved in 2025, compared to 1,900 approvals in 2023. Kashif predicts that the momentum will continue into the second half of the year, highlighting Malaysia's appeal due to its good schools, attractive lifestyle, culture, and path to residency through MM2H.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — Malaysia has emerged as a leading destination for property seekers from China, with its sha...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Juwai IQI: Malaysia among top destinations for Chinese property buyers, investment on track to top RM1.6b a year",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/juwai-iqi-malaysia-among-top-destinations-for-chinese-property-buyers",
        "published": "2026-09-01T07:41:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}