Health Ministers Announce Collaborative Efforts to Reconnect
SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have reached an agreement to begin working towards the full resumption of air and land travel for vaccinated individuals, announced Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (March 23).
Mr. Ong made the announcement during his working visit to Kuala Lumpur, at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart, Khairy Jamaluddin.
“We had a productive and candid discussion. Both Singapore and Malaysia share a long-standing and robust bilateral relationship, with numerous links and ties that were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr. Ong stated in a Facebook post.
He emphasized that both countries have seen stabilization and improvement in their COVID-19 situations, allowing them to focus on fully restoring air and land travel for vaccinated travelers. “This resumption will aid in rebuilding the connections that were affected by the pandemic,” he added.
Singapore initially launched vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) for land and air travel with Malaysia in November of last year, following nearly two years of border closures due to COVID-19. Prior to the pandemic, around 300,000 Malaysians commuted across the border daily for work.
Under the land VTL, travelers can use designated bus services to commute between Singapore and Johor Bahru. For air travel, there are specific flights operating between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, as well as Penang.
Following their meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Khairy tweeted, “Malaysia & Singapore reconnecting & reopening safely. We agreed the situation has stabilized, and we can immediately work towards fully resuming air and land travel for fully vaccinated individuals.”
Malaysia plans to fully reopen its borders on April 1, marking its transition to a COVID-19 endemic phase.
In response to inquiries from CNA regarding this announcement earlier in the month, the Ministry of Trade and Industry noted that details for further easing land border restrictions are being finalized.
“I can confirm that we will explore options for cars, motorcycles, and additional bus services, including private coaches that companies may hire for their employees,” stated Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong.
“We are considering various aspects, which will require significant adjustments and fine-tuning of ground operations.”
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong mentioned on Wednesday that Singapore’s COVID-19 situation is improving, with the Omicron wave receding. He is set to address the nation on Thursday regarding the country’s next steps.
As of noon on Wednesday, Singapore reported 8,940 new COVID-19 infections, bringing its total cases since the pandemic began to 1,044,661. Meanwhile, Malaysia reported 21,483 new infections on Tuesday, raising its national total to 4,032,435.
