KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 26 -- Chinese nationals from Hong Kong are welcome to apply for the Malaysia, My Second Home (MM2H) scheme so long as they are not fugitives and are genuinely interested, Datuk Isham Ishak said today.

The secretary-general of the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry (Motac) said, however, that there has not been a major rise in applicants from the special administrative region of China that is experiencing pro-democracy protests.

"If there are any new participants in Hong Kong interested to come to Malaysia, they are more than welcome, but they must be genuine.

"I mean that they are not running away from something," Isham said during a press conference here.

Isham added that background checks would also be done on all...