[UPDATED] No move to NRP Phase 2 for Klang Valley, Langkawi ‘travel bubble’ starts Sept 16

KUALA LUMPUR – Klang Valley folk have to wait a while longer before they can enjoy the benefits of Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP). 

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob today announced the transition for two states in the country, but none involving Selangor, Kuala Lumpur or Putrajaya. 

According to Ismail Sabri, Melaka will enter Phase 2 while Negri Sembilan moves to Phase 3 of the NRP, both beginning this Saturday.

The decision was made in today’s meeting of the Special Committee to Address Covid-19, the first chaired by Ismail Sabri.

Ismail Sabri had on Monday teased the possibility of the Klang Valley moving into Phase 2 of the NRP soon, after the vaccination rate exceeded 80%, but said this would be confirmed once he chairs the special committee meeting. 

His announcement then was met with split opinions among the masses, with some agreeing and others warning of the repercussions of such a hasty move, especially with daily cases still at an alarming level. 

The meeting today also agreed to rebrand the committee to the one proposed by Ismail Sabri in his inaugural speech as prime minister last month, which will now involve members of the opposition.

“This approach is one of the collective efforts to involve all stakeholders to ensure the nation can recover as planned, in line with the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family),” Ismail Sabri said in a statement today. 

Additionally, he said today’s meeting also agreed to reopen the tourism sector in several destinations under the “travel bubble” programme.

For a start, he said Langkawi has been picked as the  pilot project to welcome back tourists beginning September 16. 

Other tourist destinations will be allowed to operate once the vaccination rates in those localities achieve 80%. 

Separately, Ismail Sabri said he is convinced the country is currently on the right track towards recovery after its Covid-19 infectivity rate (R-naught) dipped below 1.0 for the first time in months. 

“Based on the Special Committee for Ensuring Access to Covid-19 Vaccine Supply’s (JKJAV) projection, the average vaccination rate for adult populations in all states is expected to achieve 80% by the end of September. 

“I believe a rate of 100% can be achieved by October-end, subsequently providing protection to the Malaysian Family.” 

Ismail Sabri has also instructed the Health Ministry to table new pandemic and endemic strategies moving forward, with citizens urged to prepare themselves to live with the virus. 

“I welcome the call by the Health Ministry yesterday to for a behavioural change (in facing the virus). The Malaysian Family must realise that in the end, we are force to live with the Covid-19, as with the other parts of the world.” – The Vibes, September 2, 2021