Malaysia

Govt mulls Covid-19 ‘passports’ for immunised M’sians

Health minister cites Saudi Arabia’s ‘yellow book’ for vaccinated travellers

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 21 Feb 2021 3:35PM

Govt mulls Covid-19 ‘passports’ for immunised M’sians — Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba says two methods for Covid-19 certification are being considered, namely via the MySejahtera app and physical certification. – Information Dept pic, February 21, 2021

by G. Surach

SEPANG – Talks are underway now on how to issue Covid-19 “passports” to those who have received the vaccine.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said the passport would enable less restricted travel to other countries.

He said two methods were being considered, namely via the MySejahtera app and physical certification.

He cited the example of the Saudi Arabian government, which issues “yellow book” certification for immunised people visiting the country.

“We are looking at how to collaborate with the other nations to streamline the issuing of certificates,” he said at a press conference in KLIA, following the arrival of the first batch of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines today.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that he had reached out to his Singaporean counterpart on the matter.

“We discussed how to come out with a joint declaration for both countries, including for those in the region to come out with a code or universal declaration,” he added.

Wee said that upon implementation, the certification would allow those already immunised to travel more smoothly without needing to be quarantined.

However, this is subject to the standard operating procedures of the countries they are traveling to.

Such a move, he added, would aid the recovery of the country’s airline industry and those within the Asean region.

Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong says that upon implementation, the Covid-19 certification will allow those already immunised to travel more smoothly without needing to be quarantined. – Information Dept pic, February 21, 2021

Malaysia received its first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine today, with a view to implement the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme from Wednesday onwards.

Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said that the programme would be executed earlier than the scheduled date of February 26, following Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s call to accelerate the inoculation process.

This follows the successful implementation of the delivery and storage plan today.

Comprising 312,390 doses, the first batch of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine arrived safely at the KLIA’s Advanced Cargo Centre at 9.57am on board Malaysia Airlines Flight MH604, operated by MAB Kargo Sdn Bhd.

They were flown in on an Airbus 330-300 from Singapore’s Changi Airport following its initial departure from Puurs, Belgium, after transiting at Leipzig Halle Airport, Germany. – The Vibes, February 21, 2021