Singapore prepared to work with Malaysia to address cross-border travel: MFA

SINGAPORE — Singapore has welcomed Malaysia’s proposal to resume cross-border travel between the two countries, as both neighbours began taking steps to reopen their respective economies after imposing restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a media statement on Monday (June 8): “We are prepared to work with Malaysia to address the needs of cross-border travellers, including short-term business and official travellers, and Malaysian workers who were previously commuting between Singapore and Malaysia.”

However, the ministry added that the arrangements would need to include “mutually agreed public health protocols to allow the safe resumption of cross-border movement”.

MFA said that both countries will require some time to work out the details of the agreements, which will also “depend on the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia and Singapore”.

“In the meantime, Singapore will continue with practical measures to enable Malaysians to continue working in Singapore,” it said.

Earlier on Monday, Malaysia’s Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob said that his countrymen working in Singapore may soon be able to commute to and from Johor Baru. 

"As Singapore's economic sector has reopened, a special ministerial meeting has agreed to allow this, and we are ready for them (Malaysians) to undergo Covid-19 screening and tests,” Mr Ismail Sabri said.

However, he added that the plans will be carried out only after discussions have taken place between Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry secretary-general M Shahrul Ikram Yaakob and his Singaporean counterpart.

Singapore on June 2 embarked on a phased exit of its circuit breaker that halted movement of people/ Some businesses were allowed to reopen and the Government has also started exploring arrangements with several countries to allow essential travel.

Malaysian prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin on Sunday announced that from June 10, the country would further relax its movement control order, allowing inter-state travel, among other things. 

After Malaysia announced in March that it was shutting its borders, many of its citizens scrambled to make their way to Singapore before the lockdown kicked in on March 18.