KUALA LUMPUR: Anti-vaxxers will not be stopped from travelling interstate but will still be bound to existing standard operating procedures (SOP) and will not be accorded the same privileges as fully-vaccinated individuals.
Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin reminded the public to be "sensible" when deciding to travel interstate, stressing that it was important to be responsible to ensure their loved ones are safe.
In a press conference after visiting Kuala Lumpur Hospital today, Khairy said there was "no way" to enforce suggestions to make sure that those who refused vaccinations test themselves before travelling, nor were there ways to control their movements.
"We can't be mounting roadblocks and checking each one before they cross the borders… the public will be even angrier as there will be traffic on their way after waiting for so long to 'balik kampung'.
"It is impossible to check and we do not want to have too many SOP for interstate travel.
"But the SOP from the National Security Council (NSC) remains. If the anti-vaxx try to dine-in for example, they will still be flouting SOP and they will be compounded.
"The police will continue to enforce existing SOP, and the law will eventually catch up," he said.
He added that allowing interstate travel was not the same as the Langkawi travel bubble, as there were too many exits to monitor nationwide.
He said it was not easy to enforce mandatory Covid-19 testing before travelling interstate.
"If we ask the public to do self-testing, how do they prove it? We can ask them to take a screenshot of their test results but anything can be falsified."
Khairy said what was important now was self-control as well as individual and community empowerment.
He said the government was not trying to wash their hands off the responsibility, stressing that the police will continue to enforce the SOP.
"As we move towards transitioning out of the pandemic, we have to be honest and responsible.
"We want to ease your journey home, and want to remind those that are unvaccinated that enforcement is still being carried out."