Interstate travel permission should be finalised in 3 weeks: Hishammuddin

JOHOR BARU – Permission for interstate travel is expected to be finalised in three weeks’ time after the country hits its target to fully vaccinate 90% of the adult population against Covid-19, said Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

He said today that several measures would be taken to speed up the vaccination rate among adults.

Hishammuddin said the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) had been directed to step up its cooperation with the Health Ministry (MoH) to ensure that people could complete their vaccinations soon and meet the 90% target.

Among the immediate steps to be taken by MAF is to deploy more combat medic vaccination teams to remote areas and expand the drive-through vaccination programme implemented by the Defence Ministry.

“Insya-Allah, the much-awaited permission for interstate travel will be announced soon. We hope the plans we have worked out with MoH will come to fruition in these three weeks.

“Before it is announced, many matters need to be thought out in terms of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) and the responsibilities of agencies involved in monitoring.

“We will unveil the interstate SOPs before announcing the permission for interstate travel, and they will be scrutinised at the Special Committee on Pandemic Management meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob next week,” he told reporters after visiting the drive-through vaccination centre at the 6th Battalion Royal Rangers Regiment at Ulu Tiram Camp here.

Yesterday, the prime minister hinted that permission for interstate travel could be granted in a few weeks.

Ismail Sabri said that as of September 22, a total of 81% of the adult population in the country had been fully vaccinated, and in a few weeks’ time the 90% target could be achieved to make interstate travel possible.

Hishammuddin also said it is important for the public to maintain discipline even after interstate travel is allowed.

“It is impossible for the government to monitor every person when implementing the SOPs for interstate travel,” he said. – Bernama, September 25, 2021