20 March 2022
Malaysia is preparing a protocol for travellers in conjunction with the reopening of the country’s borders on April 1 towards making it a safe destination as well as avoiding congestion at international gateways, said Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.
He said among others, the protocol would require travellers to download the MySejahtera application, upload the real-time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test results before departure, and fill in pre-release forms.
“Travellers will need to fill many pre-release forms,” he said, adding that travellers would get a traveller card via the MySejahtera application when all the conditions are met to be allowed to board their planes.
Khairy said this at a press conference with Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong on Saturday after inspecting the preparedness at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here in conjunction with the reopening of the country’s borders.
On arrival in Malaysia, travellers would need to undertake the Rapid Test Kit-Antigen (RTK-Ag) within 24 hours whether at the airport or at a clinic at their own costs, he said.
Khairy said the Covid-19 breath test method would also be available at KLIA for travellers who wish to complete test screening at the airport.
“The breath test has been approved by the Health Ministry and tests have shown it to be accurate and its sensitivity to be satisfactory.”
Khairy said the protocol would help lessen the time between disembarkation from the plane to departure from the airport to between 35 and 45 minutes, compared with before which would take more than an hour.
He said the government’s plan in reopening borders was safe and did not include bureaucracy such as wearing a digital tracker.
“Starting from April 1, Malaysia will reopen its borders to the world and this will help the country’s development and economic recovery as the tourism sector contributes to more than 15% of the country’s gross domestic product, including business travellers,” he added.
Meanwhile, Wee said the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia would direct all airline companies to inform their passengers regarding the pre-conditions before boarding flights.
“This will help avoid congestion at the arrival hall,” he added.
Source: www.theedgemarkets.com
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