Malaysia, Singapore to allow cross-border travel

JAKARTA, Indonesia

Amid COVID-19 restrictions that ban the bulk of cross-border movement, Malaysia and Singapore have decided to allow their citizens travel between the two countries on compassionate grounds from May 17.

According to a joint statement by foreign ministers of the two countries on Sunday night, travel would be limited to attending funerals or being with those who are critically ill.

"This agreement provides a framework to facilitate travel between the two countries for compassionate and emergency reasons," said Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. The former was on a two-day official visit to Singapore.

The two sides have agreed on procedures and entry requirements for the visits, and further details will be provided by the respective authorities.

The ministers also agreed to continue talks on border re-opening measures.

Balakrishnan said the scheme is “needed because of the extensive ties of kinship between Malaysia and Singapore."

“Parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins, and when family crisis occurs, people want to get together, and therefore, bearing in mind this very special close relationship between the people of Singapore and the people of Malaysia, it is necessary to have schemes like this,” he said.

*Writing by Maria Elisa Hospita from Anadolu Agency's Indonesian language service.