KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia and Singapore can anticipate the resumption of more activities in the future as the Covid-19 situation continues to improve in both countries, said the latter’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
In his keynote address during his working visit at the National Institutes of Health Malaysia today, Ong said that such activities “must also include restoring the air and land connections” between the two nations.
Ong said that he has had “a good discussion” with his counterpart Khairy Jamaluddin on the matter.
“The agencies of both sides will work out the operational details, and we look forward to realising this soon,” he said.
Malaysia currently has an air and land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrangement with Singapore, a framework to facilitate two-way travel by individuals who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Under the VTL, fully vaccinated travellers from one country may enter the other country without quarantine, subject to Covid-19 testing and further requirements determined by the receiving country.
Ong also said that Malaysia and Singapore have been working “hand-in-hand” throughout the pandemic crisis.
“Our economies and societies are so closely intertwined. The people-to-people connections between Malaysia and Singapore have been incredibly numerous and close. Almost every family in Singapore will have relatives living in Malaysia.
“The Singapore-Kuala Lumpur aviation sector is the busiest in the world, as the Woodlands Causeway is for land border crossings.
“When the land border traffic was disrupted due to the Covid-19 virus, Singapore authorities sprang into action by housing the tens of thousands of Johoreans working in Singapore, since they could no longer commute on a daily basis across the causeway.
“We ensured that essential supplies and critical components continued to flow both ways,” he said.
Malaysia, Ong added, has done very well with its vaccination rollout and its preparation for the endemic phase, adding that he looks forward to both countries emerging stronger from the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Khairy said in a tweet yesterday that both he and Ong “agreed the situation has stabilised & we can work immediately towards the full resumption of air and land travel for fully vaccinated persons”.
“Malaysia and Singapore reconnecting and #ReopeningSafely,” he said in another tweet.
Ong is on a three-day working visit to Malaysia, which started yesterday. – The Vibes, March 24, 2022
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