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Covid-19: More than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia during pandemic have returned home

SINGAPORE — Since March last year, the authorities here have helped to repatriate more than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 2).

The authorities in Singapore have helped repatriate more than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia since March 2020.

The authorities in Singapore have helped repatriate more than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia since March 2020.

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  • The authorities here have helped repatriate more than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia, including seniors
  • More than 250 appeals from Singaporeans and permanent residents wishing to enter Malaysia have been granted
  • Both countries have reached an in-principle agreement to establish protocols for travel in circumstances such as bereavements, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said

 

SINGAPORE — Since March last year, the authorities here have helped to repatriate more than 350 Singaporeans stranded in Malaysia, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 2). 

Among them were older residents, the very young or people with disabilities or mobility issues.

Dr Balakrishnan disclosed this in his reply to a question from Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim, a Member of Parliament for Aljunied Group Representation Constituency.

The borders between Singapore and Malaysia have been shut since March last year, when Malaysia imposed a Movement Control Order to combat the coronavirus. 

While restrictions were partially eased in August last year under a reciprocal green, or fast, lane for official and essential business travel, Singapore suspended the travel arrangement from Monday for three months owing to a resurgence of coronavirus cases worldwide. 

A periodic commuting arrangement, under which Singaporean and Malaysian workers stay in their country of work for at least 90 days before returning home for short-term leave, remains in place. 

Dr Balakrishnan said that in the past year, the border closures have had a profound emotional impact on many families in Singapore, especially those who have faced a family bereavement.

He said that throughout the pandemic, the authorities on both sides have been in close contact to facilitate the travel of Singaporeans on essential or compassionate grounds.

Dr Balakrishnan said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has reached an in-principle agreement with the Malaysian authorities to establish protocols for travel in circumstances when there is a death in the family. They are presently working out the details of this arrangement.

APPEALS TO ENTER MALAYSIA

Ms Lim asked Dr Balakrishnan whether the Singapore Government was working with the Malaysian authorities to facilitate the entry of Singaporeans into Malaysia for essential matters such as family bereavements.

He replied that since March last year, Singapore facilitated the travel of more than 250 Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) who filed appeals to enter Malaysia.

Although these requests were given the nod, the majority of the appeals were rejected by the Malaysian authorities, Dr Balakrishnan said. 

He did not reveal the total number of appeals filed by Singaporeans or PRs wishing to enter Malaysia. 

Ms Lim said that some of the residents in her constituency had failed in their appeals to travel across the Causeway, despite help from MFA. 

She asked if the ministry could ensure that there is more objectivity when it facilitates the approval of appeals.

Dr Balakrishnan said that MFA would first inform the Singaporean or PR filing an appeal that he or she would have to seek approval from Malaysia’s director-general of immigration.

“We always ask them to keep us informed, so we can also reach out informally to the Malaysian High Commission to try our best to persuade, but the legal and diplomatic position is that the ultimate discretion... rests with the director-general of immigration of Malaysia.

“So I am not in a position to say on what basis he agreed to some of our requests and disagreed with many of our other requests.” 

MFA would, nevertheless, continue doing its best to facilitate every appeal it gets, Dr Balakrishnan said.

DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS OPEN, TIES ‘VERY GOOD’ 

Ms Lim also asked Dr Balakrishnan for his observations on how functional diplomatic channels are in resolving bilateral issues, against the backdrop of a dynamic political situation in Malaysia and its state of emergency.

Malaysia declared a state of emergency last month to tackle a surge in coronavirus cases. On Monday, Malaysia reported 4,214 new infections, after three consecutive days with more than 5,000 new cases.

Malaysia’s political scene has also been in flux in the past year. Former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad resigned abruptly in February last year and was replaced by Mr Muhyiddin Yassin.

Dr Balakrishnan said that both sides have maintained “good, functional communications and relations” with each other throughout the pandemic, and both formal and informal communications continue to flow.

“On both sides of the Causeway, we are dealing with a very difficult situation. My objective is to keep relations open, keep communications honest, constructive and helpful — not to make things worse or put undue pressure, which would actually cause damage to the long-term challenge of both countries having to deal with this pandemic.  

“All in all, our relations remain in a very good state,” he said.

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MFA Malaysia repatriate Parliament Vivian Balakrishnan

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