In an effort to diversify the economy and make it less dependent on export goods , the government has pushed to increase tourism to Malaysia . As a result , tourism has become Malaysia 's third largest source of foreign exchange , although it is threatened by the negative effects of the growing industrial economy , with large amounts of air and water pollution along with deforestation affecting tourism . The tourism sector came under some pressure in 2014 when the national carrier Malaysia Airlines had one of its planes disappear in March , while another was brought down by a missile over Ukraine in July , resulting in the loss of a total 537 passengers and crew . The state of the airline , which had been unprofitable for 3 years , prompted the government in August 2014 to nationalise the airline by buying up the 30 per cent it did not already own . Between 2013 and 2014 , Malaysia has been listed as one of the best places to retire to in the world , with the country in third position on the Global Retirement Index . This in part was the result of the Malaysia My Second Home programme to allow foreigners to live in the country on a long-stay visa for up to 10 years . In 2016 , Malaysia ranked the fifth position on The World 's Best Retirement Havens while getting in the first place as the best place in Asia to retire . Warm climate with British colonial background made foreigners easy to interact with the locals
another was brought down by a missile
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17
Malaysia