KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia to reopen its borders fully by March 1 without mandatory quarantine for travellers, Malaysia coronavirus recovery council recommended on Tuesday (Feb 8).
The Southeast Asian nation has shut its borders since March 2020 and froze the entry of foreign workers to try to contain novel coronavirus outbreaks.
The recommendation comes as neighbours waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore.
Muhyiddin Yassin, a former premier and chairperson of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a government advisory body, said travellers would have to undergo COVID-19 screening before departure and on arrival.
As of now, Malaysia allows quarantine-free entry to people from Singapore as part of a bilateral arrangement.
Daily coronavirus infections in Malaysia have surged in recent weeks to their highest in four months, driven by the Omicron variant.
About 98% of Malaysia’s adult population has received two doses of the vaccine and more than half a booster shot. About 89% of 12-17-year-olds have been vaccinated and inoculations for children aged 5-11 started last week.
