Govt to review entry requirements for Singaporeans entering Malaysia

By Nuradzimmah Daim - July 1, 2020 @ 5:50pm

PUTRAJAYA: The government will review entry requirements for Singaporeans entering Malaysia, said Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

"While Malaysia imposes Covid-19 screening as a requirement for Singaporeans entering the country, Singapore allow its citizens to travel provided that they are able to furnish fit-to-travel certificate stating that they didn't have Covid-19 symptoms.

"We allow Singaporeans to enter the country, particularly those involved with the Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme and they are no longer required to be quarantined after undergoing Covid-19 screening (for which they have to test negative)," he told a press conference today.

He said the government would review its entry criteria, but it would depend on the outcome of bilateral discussions between the foreign ministries of both governments.

"This is because Singapore has yet to relax the restrictions imposed on our citizens to enter the country. For example, there are some 250,000 Malaysians who need to commute to Singapore for work.

"We are still waiting for them (Singapore) to do so. We will ease restrictions imposed on our citizens (in particular those working in Singapore) to enter Malaysia, which is subject to discussion between the foreign ministries.

"I hope there will be a reciprocal (decision) on allowing our citizens to enter the country (Singapore) like how we allow their citizens to come here."

He expressed hope that a mutually-beneficial decision would be reached soon to enable the two neighbours to reopen the doors to citizens of both countries without restrictions.

Ismail Sabri was responding to a question on a Singaporean being refused entry to Malaysia recently after the individual did not undergo Covid-19 screening.