Kuala Lumpur, March 9 (BNA) Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaqoub said that Malaysia will fully reopen its borders from the first of next April and allow entry without quarantine for visitors who have been vaccinated against Covid-19.
Malaysia since March 2020 has maintained some of the strictest entry restrictions in Asia to try to contain the outbreak of the coronavirus, with most foreign nationals denied entry and returning Malaysians required to undergo quarantine.
Ismail Sabry said in a televised address that the Southeast Asian country will start the transition to the endemic stage of COVID-19 from next month.
The reopening follows similar steps taken by neighboring countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, waiving quarantine for travelers who have been vaccinated with negative COVID-19 tests before departure and after arrival.
Ismail Sabri said Malaysian nationals who have been banned from leaving the country for more than a year can fully resume international travel, adding that travel agreements with other countries including Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia are ongoing in addition to an agreement with Singapore announced last year.
He also said restrictions on working hours, gatherings, social distancing and interstate travel will be eased.