EXPATS' HAVEN: Quaint city comes third in popular cities' list on blogAmerica must build coalitions to resolve disputes
AS Perak celebrated the first year after the 13th General Election last week, the state, particularly Ipoh, can move forward with its head held high for having the distinction of being named one of nine retiree havens in the world.
The endorsement of sorts by international blogger Kathleen Peddicord could not have come at a more opportune time.
On the blogsite, http://money.usnews.com, on April 16, she claimed that Ipoh was becoming an increasingly popular retirement haven.
The endorsement indeed speaks volumes of how the state, under Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, had been administered in the past year since Barisan Nasional returned to power after winning 31 of 59 state seats. BN also secured 12 of 24 parliamentary seats in Perak in the 2013 polls.
Peddicord placed Ipoh third, saying it would only take US$897 (RM2,900) to live comfortably in this city. The two cities considered cheaper than Ipoh are Nha Trang, Vietnam (US$650), and Chiang Rai, Thailand (US$750), while those considered more expensive are Dumaguete, the Philippines (US$1,000), Cayo, Belize (US$1,100), Loja, Ecuador (US$1,100), Granada, Nicaragua (US$1,300), Tralee, Ireland (US$1,500) and Carcassonne, France (US$1,750).
"Malaysians... claim its fresh air, clean water and relaxing lifestyle not only improve the quality of life but also promote longevity". For this reason, the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group said foreign retirees were beginning to take note of Ipoh.
"Despite having a population of more than half a million, Ipoh feels like a small town. You can expect first-world healthcare and a modern infrastructure, but no overcrowded city centre packed with skyscrapers and high-rises," she said, adding that friendly locals spoke the English language that made it easy to assimilate.
For the record, a total of 21,059 participants have been approved for the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme nationwide from 2002 until March last year.
Topping the list were participants from Asia with 16,094 people, Europe (3,113), America (875), The Pacific (Oceania) (621), Africa (265) and others (91).
The top 10 participating countries were China, Japan, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom, Iran, Singapore, Taiwan, Pakistan, South Korea, India and others.
Despite more development taking place in the city, the Perak government, had for the past years, never failed to balance development with the environment.
In fact, it had pledged in its manifesto last year to plant an additional one million trees in the next five years in its efforts to further green the city. The state successfully planted one million trees last year.
Perak is also the first state to gazette more than 18,000ha of land as permanent forest reserves.
And, as Peddicord aptly puts it, life in Ipoh is still relatively laid back compared with many other cities. Unlike bigger cities, you don't see Ipoh choking with high-rises and skyscrapers. Also, there is no massive traffic jam in the city, except during festive occasions and school holidays. Even then, the situation is bearable.
What's more, the city is set for a major facelift as it prepares to usher in 2020. With eight major entry-point projects to be implemented over a six-year period, these will bring Ipoh back to its glorious past, with a touch of modernisation.
Take long-time expatriates Datuk Richard Small, 67, and Ian Anderson, 75, as examples.
Small, who obtained his permanent resident (PR) status in 1999, said the quality and range of food experiences, good prices, low cost of living as well as warm and pleasant weather added to his joy of living in Ipoh.
"I can't think of a better place to spend the years after finishing a busy working life. Ipoh is truly the best place."
Rubbishing remarks that Ipoh was a sleepy hollow, Anderson, who obtained his PR status in 2001 and also authored a volume received well by Ipoh folks titled Ipoh, My Hometown, said living in Ipoh was advantageous for expatriates like him.
"Life is good here. I tell everyone that. When people say Ipoh is quaint and rustic, I say Ipoh is lovely because of that. I love this place".
So, for those of you who are planning to make Ipoh your forever home in the later part of your life, take it from Small and Anderson that Ipoh truly deserves a mention by Peddicord in her blogsite.
Expatriate Ian Anderson (second from left) explaining the rich history of Ipoh to Swiss tourism students in Jalan Panglima. The city is still relatively laid back compared with many other cities.
Source : http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/ipoh-is-where-everybody-wants-to-be-1.593844
