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Hi some expat colleagues asked me about credit cards so I thought we could share our experiences.

Why have a local card? Convenience, cashback(!), promotions (buy with interest free installments), discounts (coffee bean 20% off with Citibank) and no hassles sending money home to pay a card bill. And home cards tend to get cancelled for "fraud" if not careful! Obviously great for holidays, although I use Metro Bank (UK) when traveling as debit/credit card cash with withdrawels are totally free of charges!

I hold an employment pass. On a tourist visa no way. MM2H I understand it is possible, but usually with a FD. Student visa I guess with a large FD maybe possible.  Another site did the same last year and came up with random oddities, so getting a card can be a random experience! As always some branches may be more lenient or apply old rules.  I have two local cards and tried many banks and a summary of these are:

Accepted
Citibank with decent limit (30k+) Credit Limit (Platinum Cashback) 5% at Petronas and 2% at supermarkets cash back. Fee after one year - can be waived with a  phone call if you use the card a lot

Maybank Amex/Mastercard: ok limit (10k+) renewable yearly but with 5% Cashback at weekends (max 50RM pm) and 2% via points. No fee. They even gave me a one year interest free balance transfer.

Wanted employer guarantee
RHB. Only went for as had to bank with RHB. Very high fees anyway so didn't bother as bad value credit card.

Wanted Fixed Deposit
Ambank
Hong Leong (50,000 RM min FD get 90% "credit" limit of that)

Rejected
Standard Chartered
MBF ²ÝÁñÉçÇø Platinum (for expats so they claim! As I earn enough and have a good local history credit wise and paid tax etc for several years seems they are NOT expat friendly)
UOB
Public Bank
OCBC
Bank Islam (I keep my Malaysia cash reserves with them)

Don't accept ²ÝÁñÉçÇøs
CIMB - despite claim in a certain magazine they are "targeting expats" HO told me expats cannot apply and the application form had nationality with MALAYSIAN already printed on it. again from same mag that promotes the MBF card. Maybe they mean they reject expats in a friendly way? Note now they told me need to make a "large" FD to get a credit card with a limit less than FD.

HSBC heard you can but I had bad experience in UK with HSBC and refuse to bank with them. Overall no surprise that Malaysia's biggest bank and an international bank offered me credit cards with no hassles! Others seem to fear runaways.