Malaysia: Covid-19 Council Recommends Full Border Reopening Without Quarantine In March

The Coronavirus Recovery Council of Malaysia on Tuesday said it has recommended a full reopening of borders as early as March 1 without mandatory quarantine for travelers, as part of plans to accelerate economic recovery.

It may be noted that the Southeast Asian nation has closed its borders for tourists foreign workers since March 2020 amid the risk of coronavirus outbreaks.

The recommendation from the Covid-19 Council comes as neighbors waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines, and Singapore.

Notably, Thailand on Monday said it was eyeing travel bubbles with Malaysia and China.

Also Read: Australia To Reopen Borders For Fully Vaccinated Tourists From February 21

Muhyiddin Yassin, a former premier, and chairperson of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a government advisory body, said travelers would have to undergo COVID-19 screening before departure and on arrival.

“This means tourists can visit, investors can enter… It means AirAsia can fly again, as an example,” he told a news conference, referring to the Malaysia-based budget carrier.

Currently, Malaysia only allows quarantine-free entry to people from Singapore as part of a bilateral arrangement.