SINGAPORE – Singapore and Malaysia have an agreement in principle to have protocols for travel in circumstances such as family bereavements, according to the republic’s Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
“The exact details are still being worked out,” Balakrishnan said in Parliament today.
He was replying to a question by MP Sylvia Lim, on whether the Singapore government is working with Malaysian authorities to facilitate the entry of Singaporeans to Malaysia for essential personal matters, such as family bereavements.
It was reported on January 3 that both governments were in talks on streamlining the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for travel across the causeway on compassionate grounds.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein was previously reported as saying that currently there are no standardised SOPs for such journeys between the two countries.
“So far travel SOPs for such cases is on an ad hoc basis whereby those wanting to travel across the border must submit an appeal letter,” Hishammuddin had said.
To one of Lim’s supplementary questions on the functionality of diplomatic channels to resolve bilateral issues given Malaysia’s state of emergency and uncertain political scene, Balakrishnan replied: “We've been able to maintain good functional communications and relations.”
The minister revealed that communications were both formal and informal, including WhatsApp messages, were continuing without any hitches.
“I can tell you that, you know, there have been occasions where I’ve even had to call him (Hishammuddin) up personally because a Singaporean got stuck in a particularly delicate situation and he has obliged,” said Balakrishnan. – Bernama, February 2, 2021
