Travellers to Malaysia must have minimum insurance coverage of US$20,000 - Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR: The government has set a minimum insurance coverage (for COVID-19 and travelling) of US$20,000 for travellers arriving in Malaysia, in line with the country's border reopening on April 1.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said this applied to all foreigners entering Malaysia using short-term social visit passes, irrespective of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

"The insurance protection, among others, is to cover the quarantine, treatment and hospitalisation costs, in case they are infected with COVID-19 during their stay in Malaysia," he said in a statement today.

Khairy said that prior to leaving for Malaysia, travellers would be required to comply with one of the stipulated general protocols, namely to declare through the MySejahtera application that they have purchased the insurance coverage policy.

With the Singapore government's latest ruling on travel insurance as well as on the basis of reciprocal policy, Khairy, however, said the requirement for insurance coverage is exempted for fully-vaccinated travellers.

He said those exempted comprised Singapore or Malaysian citizens; Singaporean or Malaysian permanent residents; and long-term pass holders in Singapore or Malaysia.

"This exemption is applicable to travellers entering Malaysia from Singapore via air, land and sea," he said.

Meanwhile, Khairy said the responsibility of every individual and the solidarity among communities were crucial aspects of the country's efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.

He said although the country would enter the transition to the endemic phase, members of the public are reminded to always use face masks whenever there is a presence of another individual and to always wash their hands with either soap or hand sanitiser.

He also reminded the public to avoid mass gatherings, which can make it difficult to adopt physical distancing, and places with poor ventilation.

-- BERNAMA