JOHOR BARU – The decision on whether the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) by air between Malaysia and Singapore will continue to be postponed or resume will be determined within 48 hours before the postponed expiry date on January 21.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said that if the air VTL initiative resumes on that date, the total flight ticket sales would likely be reduced by up to 50%.
The decision will however depend on the Singapore government, as it will assess the current Covid-19 situation in the republic following the spread of the Omicron variant.
“I had a discussion with the Singapore transport minister on December 21, and he informed me of why they have decided to postpone the initiative, not cancel it.
“The Singapore authorities will assess as to whether the initiative will resume as scheduled on January 21 or postpone it further, and the decision will only be finalised 48 hours before that date,” he told a press conference after chairing the Johor MCA Liaison Committee meeting at the MCA headquarters here yesterday.
On the land VTL initiative, Wee said the matter was subject to the approval of the International Trade and Industry Ministry, as this is not within his jurisdiction.
On December 22, Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin announced that the sale of bus and flight tickets under the VTL between Malaysia and Singapore will be temporarily suspended from December 23 until January 20, and will be reopened on January 21 after risk assessment based on the current Covid-19 situation in both countries.
Khairy said the decision was made after taking into consideration a report by the Singapore Health Ministry, after a local Covid-19 cluster with the possibility of the Omicron variant was detected.
Meanwhile, the MCA president said Johor MCA has set up a Special Flood Management Committee involving 650 volunteers as preparation for possible floods in the state.
Wee, who is also Ayer Hitam MP, said the committee is divided into three zones, namely north, central, and south, and is led by Johor MCA secretary Ng Keng Heng.
Earlier, Tunku Mahkota of Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim ordered all related agencies and district offices in Johor to be ready for flood relief efforts and be on full alert following the forecast of floods in the state on Saturday.
On Wednesday, the National Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre issued an early flood forecast in Kelantan and Terengganu starting yesterday, and from Saturday in Pahang and Johor. – Bernama, December 31, 2021
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