Weaker ringgit, easier approvals boost appeal of Malaysian property for China investors

[KUALA LUMPUR] Malaysia’s commercial and residential property market is regaining its allure with foreign investors, with the draw being the weakening ringgit and the country’s strategic location in the region, property consultants said.

Malaysia’s membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement is also a key selling point, as it opens up the doors for investors to do business in other key markets in South-east Asia and beyond, they said.

Kashif Ansari, the co-founder and group chief executive officer of Malaysia-based real estate firm Juwai IQI, said Chinese commercial property investors have turned their focus from traditional places like the US and Australia to South-east Asia, with Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand their top destinations.