Govt considering opening country's border - Muhyiddin

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is considering opening the country's border safely by allowing foreigners who have been fully vaccinated from certain countries to enter Malaysia without having to undergo mandatory quarantine following positive development of the COVID-19 indicators.

National Recovery Council (MPN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said it would be carried out through the mutual recognition of vaccine certificate programme as had been implemented in several other countries.

He said this was among matters discussed at the MPN meeting today.

"This is a positive development in the process of opening the country's borders, which I am sure will revive economic activities, especially the tourism sector, international conventions, retail and others, as well as facilitate business and social visitors (coming to the country," he said.

Muhyiddin said he had been briefed by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and was satisfied with the progress, especially in terms of the drop in daily COVID-19 positive cases, the use of intensive care unit ward beds to treat COVID-19 patients and the high vaccination rate among the adult population.

The Pagoh Member of Parliament said the opening of the country's borders would also allow Malaysians to go abroad without having to go through cumbersome rules and regulations, while foreigners could come to the country by complying with the stipulated conditions.

However, he said the matter had yet to be finalised yet.

"The opening of the international border has been considered for a long time and it is considered the time now, with cross-district and cross-state travel now allowed," he said.

The MPN meeting, which lasted almost three hours, was also attended by representatives from the opposition parties, namely Subang Member of Parliament (MP) Wong Chen (PKR), Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen (DAP), Kuala Selangor MP Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Amanah) and Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, of UPKO.

-- BERNAMA