High vaccination rate, prevention standards encourage Malaysia to introduce travel corridors -- PM Ismail Sabri

JAKARTA: Malaysia has a high vaccination rate and high standard of COVID-19 infection prevention to ensure the planned travel corridor with Indonesia runs smoothly, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said the vaccination rate of Malaysians is also very high, with 96 per cent of Malaysian adults having received the vaccine.

The government is also in the process of giving vaccines to young people between the ages of 12 and 17, which has so far reached 65 per cent.

"We have a relatively high standard of prevention to ensure everyone is safe," he said in a press conference after witnessing the signing of five memoranda of understanding between Malaysian and Indonesian companies here.

He said this in reference to the statement by Indonesia's Health Minister who wanted to restrict the entry of Malaysians into Indonesia after the Delta Plus case was detected in Malaysia.

Ismail Sabri, who is on a three-day official visit to Indonesia, said Malaysians are required to complete two doses of vaccine and undergo a swab test with negative results prior to travelling.

Upon arrival in Indonesia, they will be swabbed again and can only leave a hotel quarantine if the result is negative.

"There is no need to worry about the entry of Malaysians into Indonesia," said Ismail Sabri, adding that the travel corridor initiative will revive the tourism industry.

In a joint press conference with President Joko Widodo at Istana Bogor this afternoon, Ismail Sabri said Malaysia and Indonesia had agreed to implement a travel corridor between the two countries through the Travel Corridor Arrangement or Vaccinated Travel Lane, as both countries are recovering from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri explained that the cooperation of Malaysian companies in the development of Indonesia's new capital in Kalimantan will have a positive impact on both countries.

"If given the opportunity to invest in Kalimantan we will benefit. In Indonesia, the benefit is development," he explained.

Apart from that, Ismail Sabri said he and President Joko Widodo are of the opinion that issues related to the South China Sea should be resolved through negotiations, with all countries having to comply with international law.

"The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) should be referred to when there is an issue of overlap," he said.

He also reaffirmed his assurance to safeguard the interests of the Indonesian workforce in Malaysia.

Malaysia introduced the 'e-gaji' (e-wages system), a method that allows foreign workers like those from Indonesia to make complaints on issues related to salary payments that will be channeled directly to the Ministry of Human Resources.

"It's not only about not being able to get a salary or late salary; employees can also make any complaints related to their welfare," said Ismail Sabri.

-- BERNAMA