Litigation – the Practicalities of Going to Court? Part II

Continuation from https://samchoong.com/litigation-practicalities-going-court-part/   2) So who do you appoint? How do you choose a lawyer? Do you pick the firm or do you pick the lawyer? People watch dramatic TV court scenes of an erudite lawyer aggressively questioning a witness or the defendant. This may give the impression that a good lawyer is an […]

Litigation – the Practicalities of Going to Court? Part I

What’s it like going to court? What does it entail? Should you sue? Should you retaliate when sued? Or should you just settle? And if so, at what point in the process do you show this hand? Who do you appoint?   I’m finding that churning out a steady stream of articles and the amount […]

Official MM2H Workshop (Looking Forward to Updates!)

On 20th March 2018, it was publicly announced for the first time at the British Council event (where I presented my Wills Seminar to British expats) held at E&O Hotel, Penang that new MM2H guidelines would come into effect mid-2018. This announcement resulted in more questions than answers and the expat community in Malaysia were understandably concerned. […]

Important MM2H Updates! Popular FAQs Answered!

MALAYSIA MY SECOND HOME (MM2H): FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, MAY 2018 It’s been months since I published our last MM2H FAQ. Since then, I’ve had an overwhelming number of questions from those of you seeking clarification as you consider making Malaysia your new home. As there have been many questions, I’m going to list the most […]

Estate planning talk for the British High Commission

I’m sitting on a long wooden table at my surf camp on a rugged tiny island in the Indian Ocean, hours by boat, west of Sumatra in Indonesia. We wait patiently for favourable winds to bring peeling walls of water for us to carve on. There’s time to reflect during these waits.

Estate Planning for SMEs at Vistage

As someone who likes his advice to be user friendly, there’s nothing like getting direct feedback from the business community. Specifically, in terms of the laws of succession and estate planning, what type of guidance they need. I recently received an invite from Vistage, a peer advisory grouping of CEOs and business owners, to chat to […]

Bazaar at the Hin Bus Depot

Bazaars can be engaging places and the Hin Bus Depot bazaar is no different. No matter where they are: the historical Spice Bazaar in Istanbul; the ‘Flea markets’ in Camden Town; or the “Pasar Malam” in Bandar Aceh.

Stamp (Amendment) Bill 2017 WITHDRAWN!

Here’s a quick update, especially for those of you in the market for a property. Some time in September 2017, I reminded prospective purchasers of properties to be mindful of the 2016 Malaysian budget announcement that transfers of RM1,000,000/- and above will be subject to an increased stamp duty of 1%

Inheritance Tax

Speculation has been rife, over the past two months, that estate duty or inheritance tax would be reintroduced. This rumour isn’t new. In fact, such talk has recurred over the years.