Singapore-Malaysia land VTL to be extended to citizens of both countries from Dec 20

SINGAPORE — From next Monday (Dec 20), the quarantine-free travel lane between Singapore and Malaysia via the Causeway will be extended to citizens of both countries, Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) announced on Tuesday. 

This is to allow more groups of people to travel between the two countries.

Singapore citizens would thus be able to enter Malaysia and likewise, Malaysian citizens will be able to enter Singapore via the land vaccinated travel lane.

At the moment, the vaccinated travel lane (VTL) scheme between the two countries — which began on Nov 29 — requires vaccinated travellers to be citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass holders of the country that they are entering. They must take Covid-19 tests as part of the clearance process.

MTI said in a statement that with the expansion of the scheme, there would be no change to the present testing protocols in Singapore and Malaysia.

All travellers entering Singapore must abide by testing protocols and infection controls, including testing themselves daily with a Covid-19 antigen rapid test for seven days from their arrival in Singapore.

At a press conference by the national Covid-19 task force on Tuesday, Mr Gan Kim Yong, Minister for Trade and Industry, was asked about people who might be planning to make day trips from Singapore to Johor Baru under the scheme.

He replied: "My advice is you have to assess the situation, and whether or not the risk is worth the while making the visit, depending on the purpose of the visit. The primary objective of the land VTL so far is to provide opportunities for families to be reunited."

Mr Gan added: "I'd encourage you to consider very carefully if you want to spend just a day (there), bearing in mind that there are testing regimes in place — you'd need to be subject to regular tests." 

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at the start of the travel scheme on Nov 29 that general travellers might be allowed from mid-December to cross the Causeway via the travel lane.

At a press conference with his Malaysian counterpart Ismail Sabri, Mr Lee said that the goal was to have more open borders between Singapore and Malaysia despite the emergence of the highly infectious Omicron coronavirus variant.