From April 1, Malaysia will open the country's borders

The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaakob (center) during a hybrid press meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Tuesday. ANTARA Foto/Agus Setiawan (1)

Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA) - The Malaysian government has decided to reopen the country's borders on Friday, April 1, 2022, in line with plans to enter the transition phase to endemic on that date.

"I believe, this is one of the biggest announcements awaited by the community. This announcement will also revitalize the country's economy as a whole, especially the tourism industry which is heavily affected as a result of the pandemic," said Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob in a hybrid press conference in Kuala Lumpur. , Tuesday.

He said the decision was made based on three basic things, first guided by the latest science and relevant facts COVID-19, second comparing border opening requirements in other countries, third providing convenience to travelers and not complicating their journey.

"The most important thing is that Malaysia is now a destination that is open and accessible to all," he said.

With the reopening of the country's borders, he said, Malaysians with valid travel documents could now enter and leave the country as usual and were allowed to go to any country that also opened border gates for foreign tourists.

"At the same time, foreign nationals with valid travel documents can also move in and out of Malaysia without having to register for MyTravelPass which will be abolished.

Instead, just download and activate the MySejahtera application and complete the Pre-Departure Form through the 'traveler' function in MySejahtera.

However, considering the situation of COVID-19 transmission, especially the Omicron wave that is still plaguing our country and most countries in the world, there are some procedures that must be followed by both Malaysians themselves and foreign tourists who want to enter Malaysia.

"Those who have received a complete vaccination do not need to undergo a quarantine period and only need to go through the RT-PCR COVID-19 detection test two days before departure and the RTK-Ag (professional) test within 24 hours after arrival," he said.

For other vaccination status such as not receiving vaccines for medical reasons and not receiving any vaccinations, he said, the Minister of Health will detail the procedure for public information.

"The relevant ministries will also publish a list of SOPs for opening the country's borders in more detail in the near future, especially in relation to the procedures at the International Entrance (PMA) on land and sea," he said.

Meanwhile, he would like to inform that for countries that are still closing the border gates, residents can still take advantage of the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) method that has been agreed by the Government of Malaysia with the countries involved.

"As many people know, for now VTL has been leveraging Singapore since last year. In the near future, as I announced recently, VTL will also be used to implement inbound and outbound movements between Malaysia-Thailand, Malaysia-Brunei and Malaysia-Indonesia, "he said.

It is hoped that the people who want to take advantage of the opening of the country's borders can implement it in accordance with the guidelines that have been set for the safety of themselves, the surrounding community and the country as a whole.

"On behalf of the government, I extend my deepest appreciation to all Malaysian family members who are resilient, tenacious, hard-working and disciplined in complying with SOPs and supporting every Government initiative in combating COVID-19. Without the contribution of the Malaysian Family, the country will not be able to enter. to the transition phase to endemic, "he said.