-
Malaysia to re-open borders to vaccinated tourists starting April 1
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.
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.
Malaysia defends new coronavirus fake news law amid free speech outcry
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
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
NATO Secretary-General Ex...
- November 7, 2024
Amid growing anxiety among several European countries participating in NATO over Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated he looks forward to sitting down with Trump.
Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.
On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.
Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.
Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!