KUALA LUMPUR – Foreign tourists from selected countries may be allowed to enter Malaysia very soon, with the government to deliberate on the matter later today.
National Recovery Council (NRC) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said he was informed today of Putrajaya’s intention to reopen international borders for fully vaccinated foreigners.
Among the considerations is to allow travellers into Malaysia to forego the mandatory quarantine currently being imposed or to reduce the quarantine period, he said in a press conference after chairing the NRC meeting today here.
This will be done through the mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, which is similarly practised by a number of other countries globally.
Muhyiddin said the government’s Covid-19 Special Committee on Pandemic Management chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob will consider the matter in its meeting this evening.
“I hope the meeting will decide on what I have spoken about today,” he said.
He added that apart from tourism, the country will accept travellers entering for business purposes.
“With the reopening of the border, I am confident it will revitalise the economy, particularly in the sectors of tourism, international conventions, retail and others, apart from making it easier for business and social travellers to enter.”
According to the former prime minister, the consideration to allow foreign travellers into the country has been discussed for quite some time.
With the government already allowing interstate and inter-district travelling, as well as for those in Malaysia to travel overseas, Muhyiddin said the time is now right to similarly welcome foreigners in.
The consideration to allow foreign travellers is also based on positive developments in the country pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic, he added.
Ismail Sabri had on Sunday announced announced a slew of SOP relaxations for fully vaccinated Malaysians, including allowing interstate and international travelling beginning last Monday.
He added that Malaysians need not apply for MyTravelPass approval to leave the country, as required previously for those travelling for business, education or official government matters.
However, he said Malaysian borders will remain closed to foreign nationals seeking to enter here for tourism purposes. – The Vibes, October 15, 2021
