Government / Public Policy

Government looking to open borders through mutual recognition of vaccine certificate programme [NSTTV]

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is considering opening the country's borders safely by allowing fully vaccinated foreign travellers from certain countries to enter Malaysia without having to go through the mandatory quarantine.

National Recovery Council (NRC) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this would be carried out through the mutual recognition of vaccine certificate programme implemented in several countries.

"This is a positive development in the process of opening the country's borders, which I am sure will revive economic activities, especially the tourism sector, international conventions, retail and others as well as facilitate business travellers and social visitors coming in to the country.

"I hope the process of opening the country's borders, which is an important aspect of recovery efforts, can be implemented quickly and safely," he said after chairing the fourth NRC meeting, here, today.

Muhyiddin said this was among the matters discussed at the meeting, which began with a briefing by Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin who shared latest developments on the Covid-19 indicators.

"Overall, I am satisfied with the progress achieved, particularly in terms of the drop in daily positive cases, the significant decrease in the use of ICU ward beds to treat Covid-19 patients and the high adult vaccination rate which has reached 95 per cent at present."

Additionally, he said the meeting focused on the two groups most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, namely Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the vulnerable.

In this regard, he said the Council has discussed forms of assistance to be provided to the SMEs in the recovery phase, especially pertaining to issues of liquidity and manpower shortages as well as the distribution of food aid to the vulnerable.

"Taking into account the various existing assistance and initiatives related to finance and manpower provisions to SMEs under various Ministries and Agencies, the Council is of the view that a more detailed analysis needs to be done to identify affected industries based on the latest statistics.

"(We need to) determine more focused short- and long-term solutions to be implemented immediately."

Muhyiddin said the NRC has agreed that a Special Task Force ought to be formed involving the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara Malaysia, International Trade and Industry Ministry, Human Resources Ministry and other relevant ministries to refine matters on funding, manpower and other issues related to SME needs.

This Special Task Force, he said will present a detailed study and recommendations within a month to the Council for deliberation.

He added that the Council had also agreed that the distribution of food aid to the vulnerable nationwide should be strengthened.

"The role of NGOs in this relationship needs to be strengthened with the assistance and cooperation of all agencies involved in providing assistance."

Present at the meeting were Subang Member of Parliament, Wong Chen (representing PKR), Stampin MP Chong Chieng Jen (DAP), Kuala Selangor MP Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Parti Amanah Negara), and Tan Sri Bernard Giluk Dompok (United Progessive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko).

Muhyiddin expressed his appreciation to the Opposition party leaderships involved in the nomination of their respective representatives as Members of this Council.

"I am confident and believe that with their participation, this more inclusive NRC team will be able to make a more holistic contribution in formulating strategies and efforts to restore all aspects of people's lives and businesses affected by the Covid-19 outbreak."

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