SURVEY ON SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES

IN MALAYSIA

Dear Participant,

I am conducting a research related to the social conditions of foreign spouses in

Malaysia. The purpose of this survey is to understand the issues and challenges
especially in the area of work and employment faced by foreign nationals who are
married to Malaysian citizens and are currently residing in Malaysia. May I ask your
cooperation by providing honest responses to the information asked. Rest assured that
your responses will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
I requested the assistance of the Coordinator of FSSG to gather as many respondents as
possible for this academic endeavor.
Thank you for your contribution to this important study and I owe it to you for your
cooperation and sincerity. I wish you the best in life.

Sincerely,

LINDA A. LUMAYAG, PhD

Research Associate
Asia-Europe Institute
University of Malaya
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Mobile: 6019-3822-529
Email: lindalumayag2@gmail.com

SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES IN MALAYSIA

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SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES IN MALAYSIA

INSTRUCTION:
PLEASE WRITE YOUR RESPONSE AS REQUESTED.
SECTION 1: PERSONAL DETAILS
Gender

Age

26

Country of origin

PAKISTAN

No. of years living in

Malaysia

6 YEARS

Level of education/Highest
educational attainment

] Male

] Female

BIC (SOFTWARE ENG)

SECTION 1.1: MARRIAGE DETAILS

Marital status

[ ] Married
[

No. of years married to

Malaysian spouse

] Separated [

] Widow

] Divorced

] Live-in/common law

MORE THEN THREE YEARS

Where did you get married?

[
[

] Outside Malaysia; please specify THAILAND

] In Malaysia

Ethnic background of
Malaysian spouse

For example: Kadazan, Malay, Indian, Chinese etc.

How did you meet your

Malaysian spouse?

For example: At work, on travel, via online dating site or

commercial matchmaking agency

Pls specify:MALAY

Pls specify: UNIVERSITY

Your religion before

ISLAM

SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES IN MALAYSIA

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marriage
Malaysian spouses religion

ISLAM

Your current religion (If

converted)

ISLAM

No. of biological children

No. of adopted children

Have your children
acquired Malaysian
citizenship immediately
after birth?

] Yes [

] No

Please specify

If No, why?
Is this marriage your first
marriage?

If No, how many children do

you have from the previous
marriage?
Does your spouse have
children before marriage?
If Yes, how many?

[ ] Yes

] No

______

] No

_____

SECTION 1.2: ASSETS (IN MALAYSIA)

Do you own a house after
your marriage?
If yes, are you a co-owner of
the house?
Do you own a car after
marriage?
If yes, are you a co-owner of
the car?

] No

] No

] No

] No

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Does your Malaysian

spouse put your name when
he/she purchases a
property?

] No

SECTION 2: YOUR EMPLOYMENT (FOREIGN SPOUSE)

Your job before marriage
Your current job

Current area of employment

YES
JOBLESS (IMMIGRATION NOT ALLOWED TO WORK)

For example: Construction, Hotel, Factory, Education, Media

etc.
Please specify IT

Estimated income (In RM)

per month
I need to work as my
Malaysian spouses income
is not sufficient for the
family.

0.00

] Yes

SECTION 2.1 : EMPLOYMENT DETAILS OF MALAYSIAN SPOUSE

Job before marriage
Current job
Current area of employment

IT SUPPPORT
JOBLESS (IMMIGRATION NOT ALLOWED TO WORK)
For example: Construction, Factory, Hotel, Education, Media
etc.
Please specify

Estimated income (In RM)

per month

0.00

SECTION 3: VISA DETAILS

Do you have a passport?

[ ] Yes

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[ ] No
[ ] Short Term Social Visit Pass (1-6
months)

What visa are you holding at present?

[ ] Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) (1 year-5

years)
[ ] Student Pass
[ ] Work Pass
[ ] Permanent Resident (PR)
[ ] I already have a Malaysian IC (blue)
[ ] Short Term Social Visit Pass (1-6
months)

What type of visa was given to you as

soon as you arrived in Malaysia?

[ ] Long Term Social Visit Pass (LTSVP) (1 5

years)
[ ] Student Pass
[ ] Work Pass
[ ] Permanent Resident (PR)
[ ] Others; Please Specify-

[ ] Yes

I do not have money for the Security

Bond.

Have you tried applying for

Permanent Resident (PR) status?
If No, Why?
If Yes, why is PR important to you?

] Yes [

[ ] No

] No

HAVENT APPLY
Please specify
LEGAL STATUS

If Yes, how long did you wait for the

Permanent Resident (PR) to be
approved?
Has your Permanent Resident (PR)
application been rejected before?

[ ] Yes

[ ] No [ ] I don't know

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Please specify __________

If Yes, Why?

SECTION 4: EXPERIENCES

4.1 PERMANENT RESIDENT (PR) APPLICATION

1. The process of getting a PR status

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

was difficult and time consuming.

2. My PR application has been rejected
without any explanation from the

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

NOT ELLIGIBALE

Dept. of Immigration.
3. I feel that male foreign spouse has

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

more difficulty in obtaining PR status

than a foreign woman spouse.
4. If I have no PR, I have no legal
rights.
5. I will keep on trying until I get a PR.

[ ] No

4.2 EMPLOYMENT

6. Getting a job in Malaysia is difficult

even if I am qualified to work.
7. I believe that by acquiring PR, it will

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

BECAUSE OF FOREIGN
[ ] Yes

[ ] No

be easier for me to apply for a job.

8. I have PR but I am not able to gain

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

employment.

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9. I have to obtain a letter of consent to

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

work from my Malaysian spouse in

order to work.
10. Prospective employers are not

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

willing to give me a job because of the

statement on the visa that I am
prohibited

from

all

forms

of

employment.
11. The prospective employer does not

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

accept me even with my PR.

12. PR status is important for a job that

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

requires a Professional License.

4.3 OTHER CONCERNS

13. My Malaysian spouse does not

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

allow me to practice my own religion.

14. I have to pay higher medical fee in

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

government hospitals and clinics.

15. I received less interest on my bank

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

fixed deposit compared to Malaysian

citizens.
16. My employer does not contribute
EPF for me.
17. I am not permitted to make
withdrawals

from

Employees

Provident Fund (EPF) to purchase a

house.

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18. I am not permitted to make

withdrawals

from

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

Employees

Provident Fund (EPF) for the purpose

of my childrens education.
19. Being a widow, I am not permitted
to work.
20. Being a widow I am helpless
because I am dependent on my
sponsor.
21. It is unfair that my children are not
given

Malaysian

citizenship

immediately when they were born

outside of Malaysia.
22. The difficulty in acquiring a PR

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

[ ] Yes

[ ] No

status gives me an idea to go back to

my home country.
23. The difficulty in acquiring a PR
status gives me an idea to go to other
countries.

SECTION 5: COPING STRATEGIES

I do not know where to go whenever I

need someone to talk to.
I have friends outside my family.
My country friends are helpful.

] Yes [

] Yes [

] No

] Yes [

I have many local/Malaysian friends.

] No

I have a good relationship with my inlaws.

] No

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] No

] No

I am a member of any of these

associations/support group in
Malaysia.
(Please choose more than one if necessary)

[ ] Foreign Spouses Support Group (FSSG)

[ ] Migrant Group
[ ] Women & Global Migration Working Group
[ ] Voluntary group, i.e. Religious Group
[ ] None
[ ] Others; please specify [

I am able to speak Bahasa Malaysia.

I sense I belong to Malaysia.

I go back to my country for a visit

every year.

Overall, I enjoy living in Malaysia with

my Malaysian family regardless of the
challenges I am facing.

] Yes [

] Yes [

] No

] No

] Yes [ ] No

] No

If No, please specify- NOT HAPPY

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

1. What are the problems/challenges you encountered being in Spouse

Visa? Please suggest how to resolve/improve these problems.
1.GETTING VISA VERY DIFFICULT
2.IMMIGRATION NOT ALLOWED TO WORK
3.NO JOBS FOR FOREIGN
4.RACISM

_______________________________________________________

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2. Kindly write your urgent concerns about your stay in Malaysia, if you
have any.
HAVE A KID ALSO IMMIGARATION NOT ALLOWED TO WORK AND VERY DIFFICULT TO
SURVIVE IN MALAYSIA WITH FAMILY.TOTALLY FEDUP WITH IMMIGRATION OF MALAYSIA
AND
LAWS.____________________________________________________________________
___
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Thank you very much for your cooperation!

SOCIAL CONDITIONS OF FOREIGN SPOUSES IN MALAYSIA

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