Malaysia's general travel protocols now apply to arrivals from Singapore, Thailand & Cambodia, replacing existing VTLs

Malaysia's transport ministry has also highlighted a set of protocols that apply to fully-vaccinated Malaysians and Singaporeans entering Singapore and Malaysia via air, effective 1 April 2022.

In line with Malaysia's reopening of borders from 1 April 2022, the Ministry of Transport (MOT) has announced that the Ministry of Health's (MOH) general protocols for travellers entering Malaysia effective the same date have since replaced the air Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) initiative between Malaysia and Cambodia, Singapore, and Thailand.

Hence, travellers from these countries arriving in Malaysia from 1 April will have to follow the health protocol under the general protocols, similar to travellers from other countries.

For countries that have yet to reopen their borders, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue bilateral discussions with them on the VTL initiative, MOT added.

The general protocols for common travellers are as follows:

BEFORE DEPARTURE, travellers are required to:

• Register in the MySejahtera app;
• Complete a travel declaration of their journey, including their vaccination information, which can be accessed via the "traveller" icon in the MySejahtera application;
• Upload their RT-PCR test result undertaken two days before departure;
• Verify their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate through the MySafeTravel portal (for COVID-19 digital certificates issued overseas);
• Non-citizens need to have COVID-19 insurance coverage when travelling to Malaysia.

UPON ARRIVAL:

• Travellers are required to take a professional RTK-Ag test at a private health facility, either at the international airport or an external facility within 24 hours.
• The professional RTK-Ag result can be obtained from the MySejahtera app. Positive and negative COVID-19 cases will be handled according to the health protocols as prescribed by MOH.

However, in light of the discussion between Malaysia and Singapore regarding the COVID-19 situation in both countries, following a meeting between both countrys' health ministers on 23 March, a joint statement was issued by Prime Minister YAB Data Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 24 March announcing the mutual decision to open the countries' borders for fully-vaccinated individuals.

The decision to open the Malaysia and Singapore borders also involves the opening of air borders.

As such, the protocols for fully-vaccinated Malaysians and Singaporeans entering both countries via air is as follows.

BEFORE DEPARTURE:

• Undergo RT-PCR or professional RTK-Ag test two days before departure;
• Register with the MySejahtera app;
• Complete the travel declaration for their journey, including vaccination information that can be accessed via the "traveller" icon in MySejahtera and upload their RT-PCR or professional RTK-Ag test result;
• Verify their COVID-19 digital vaccination certificate through the MySafeTravel portal (for COVID-19 digital certificates issued overseas).

UPON ARRIVAL, travellers are not required to undergo COVID-19 testing.

Airlines and international airport operators will ensure that all travellers from overseas receive accurate information and adhere to the health protocol before their departure and upon arrival in Malaysia.

More information on the protocols can be found on the MySafeTravel portal.

Photo / 123RF