Safeguards needed before travel between Singapore and Malaysia can resume: Lawrence Wong
09 June, 2020
Measures, safeguards and precautions need to be put in place before travel can resume between Singapore and Malaysia, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong on Monday (Jun 8).
Mr Wong, who co-chairs the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force, was responding to media queries after Putrajaya said that talks are under way to permit Malaysians in Johor Bahru to commute to Singapore and back for work.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr Wong said that negotiations with Malaysia was part of ongoing discussions with different countries.
“The same principle will apply … we will welcome these travellers. We want to see the resumption of travel, but it has to be done in a safe way. And that would mean looking at testing protocols set up on both sides,” he said.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong speaking at the MTF COVID-19 virtual press conference on Mar 31, 2020.
Mr Wong said that before such travel can resume, testing may need to be carried out, a quarantine period may have to be imposed, or a mixture of both measures.
“Measures, safeguards and precautions must be put in destination to ensure the resumption of safe travel between Singapore and Malaysia, so we are discussing all these with our Malaysian counterparts, (including) exactly how many people, what varieties of protocols will be placed in place and which industries (will be involved)," he added.
However, he noted that the quantity of travel wouldn't normally be as high as before.
“I think we are very clear. It is not going to be back again to where we were prior to the circuit breaker or before COVID-19 hit us. We aren't discussing large volumes of daily commuters coming in and out freely," Mr Wong said.
“We are discussing resumption of travel, however in a managed manner and in a safe manner for both sides. That's inside our mutual interest."
PUTRAJAYA PREPARED TO ENSURE TRAVELLERS TAKE COVID-19 TESTS
Early in the day, Malaysian Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the special ministerial meeting on the implementation of movement control order (MCO) has agreed to allow Malaysians to go to and fro for work between Johor Bahru and Singapore.
“We will be ready to ensure that they take COVID-19 tests ... If that is the condition required by the Singaporean government, that they take swab tests, we agree,” he said.
Malaysia's Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob giving a daily briefing on Jun 8, 2020. (Photo: Bernama)
However, he said that the implementation is only going to start following the secretary-general of Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his Singaporean counterpart summary their negotiations.
“If we can, we will approve the conditions they propose, and only Malaysian workers who commute between Johor Bahru and Singapore can resume working again. We are still waiting,” said Mr Ismail Sabri.
The senior minister said that with industries in Singapore operating again, they have requested because of their Malaysian employees, who are in Johor Bahru, to commute to Singapore for work. Singapore exited the "circuit breaker" on Jun 1, with most financial sectors resuming operations.
Mr Ismail Sabri added that Sultan Ibrahim Johor Foundation and two Singapore companies, Temasek and Thomson Medical Group, have stepped forward to contribute two COVID-19 mobile labs and COVID-19 test kits.
In a press statement on Monday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said it welcomes Malaysia's proposal to resume cross-border travel between the two countries.
"We are prepared to work with Malaysia to handle the needs of cross-border travellers, including short-term business and official travellers and Malaysian personnel who were previously commuting between Singapore and Malaysia," said MFA.
"Such proposed arrangements would have to include mutually agreed public health protocols to allow the safe resumption of cross-border movement."
It added that enough time needed to workout the facts would also rely upon the COVID-19 situation in both countries.
"For the time being, Singapore will continue with practical measures to allow Malaysians to continue employed in Singapore," said MFA.
Malaysia's MCO has been around place since Mar 18, restricting domestic and international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, Singapore implemented a circuit breaker period from Apr 7 to Jun 1, which tightened border controls.
To break the chain of infection, both governments mandated a 14-day quarantine for folks entering the countries. These measures made it impossible for Malaysians, who are in Johor but work in Singapore, to travel across the strait.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the MCO will enter a “recovery phase" beginning Jun 10 until Aug 31. Under the recovery MCO, "virtually all" social, educational, religious and business activities, together with economic sectors will reopen in phases, with standard operating procedures to be honored.
While interstate travel is permitted, Malaysia's borders will stay closed.
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