Malaysia may opt to open its borders but ... - Hishammuddin

Malaysia may open the country's borders but it all depends on the people's discipline in ensuring that the number of COVID-19 cases do not increase sharply thereafter.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said there was no need to open the border hastily because if the number of positive cases escalated, the country would have to close it again.

"If we open up and our people are not disciplined and eventually the number of people infected with COVID-19 increases, we have to close (the border) again.

“If we have a large number of cases, no other country will agree to establish a relationship with Malaysia. This (opening of the border) depends on our people whether they are disciplined or not.

"So far, everything is on the right track," he told a press conference after the ASEAN Foreign Minister - Russia special meeting here on Wednesday.

Hishammuddin added that if the country's borders were opened, it might involve some countries in the ASEAN region recovering from COVID-19 such as Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand.

"Whatever it is, we will see this in stages because COVID-19 (pandemic) is not something that has happened before.

"A lot would depend on the discipline of Malaysians (for the country’s borders to be opened)," he said.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on June 7 announced that state cross-border activities were allowed to start from June 10 but were prohibited in areas under the Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO).

However, the country's borders remained closed and all returning Malaysians would have to go for COVID-19 screening.