Malaysia to re-open borders to vaccinated tourists starting April 1
March 8, 2022, 5:05 pm

Malaysia to re-open borders to vaccinated tourists starting April 1

Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia (File photo: Pixabay)

France24 reported, citing the AFP, Malaysian authorities said that the country will re-open to all vaccinated tourists from April 1, joining a growing number of countries removing restrictions in an attempt to live with Covid.

The tourism-reliant Southeast Asian country, known for its white-sand beaches and lush rainforests, shut its borders in March 2020 but will now require only a negative Covid test to enter.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri said in media briefing: "The government has decided to open its borders on April 1, 2022."

"We believe this decision will boost our economy and help revive our ailing tourism sector."

The re-opening comes despite Malaysia reporting more than 25,000 infections a day in recent weeks, though most cases have been mild.

Statue of Lord Murugan in Malaysia (File photo: Pixabay)

Its decision mirrors those of neighbouring nations including Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines that are progressively easing entry rules to lure back tourists.

Vaccinated travellers will not be subject to quarantine but will need to produce a negative PCR test two days before arrival and take an antigen test in the 24 hours after entry.

Previously only travellers from Singapore were allowed quarantine-free entry.

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Malaysia has recorded more than 3.6 million Covid cases to date with more than 33,000 deaths.

About 80 percent of the country's 32 million population have been fully vaccinated.

Source: france24

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”