admin When 90 per cent of the adult population in Malaysia have been fully vaccinated, interstate travel will resume and Malaysians will no longer be required to apply for the MyTravelPass scheme to travel overseas, said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Details on the Reopening Plan
Speaking during an exclusive interview with reporters, Mr Ismail Sabri stressed that once the 90 per cent figure was achieved, Malaysia would “open up almost completely”. “I believe the time for interstate travel is getting close, and I will immediately announce the resumption of interstate travel when the vaccination rate (for the adult population) reaches 90 per cent,” said Mr Ismail Sabri. “This is good news for all Malaysians,” he added.
Mr Ismail Sabri highlighted that the resumption of interstate travel was key to boosting the ailing domestic tourism sector. He added that it would also allow Malaysians who have been separated from their loved ones in their respective hometowns to be reunited. Malaysians will be free to travel overseas without having to apply for permission from immigration authorities via the MyTravelPass scheme. The scheme was introduced to disallow Malaysians from travelling overseas for non-essential reasons such as tourism, so as to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, Malaysians who were studying overseas or travelling for business reasons could still exit the country and re-enter by applying through the MyTravelPass scheme.
Progress So Far
As of Saturday, 87.2 per cent of the adult population in Malaysia have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to data provided by the Special Committee on COVID-19 Vaccine Supply. National Recovery Council chairman Muhyiddin Yassin has reportedly said that interstate travel is likely to resume by mid-October. He explained that ensuring the safety of Malaysians was his priority and whatever plans the government had would not be implemented successfully if the country were in a state of chaos.
“The government has always prioritized national defense, even in the past, because our sovereignty cannot be compromised,” said Mr Ismail Sabri. He said that military has increased its presence at the borders, especially in Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure that illegal immigrants would not be able to enter.
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