Malaysia to suspend travel bubble with Singapore

Malaysia says it will temporarily suspend on its side the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) travel bubble with Singapore beginning May 13.

Health director-general Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said the measure follows Singapore being listed as a country that has reported transmissions of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) in the community.

“It is based on reports released by the Singapore health ministry pertaining to the South African B.1.351 variant, UK B.1.1.7 variant, Brazilian B.1.1.28 variant and the variant from India, namely the B.1.617.1,” he said in a statement issued on the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia.

Noor Hisham said travellers from Singapore who wish to enter Malaysia for business have to use the one-stop centre (OSC) set up by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority.

He also said that all travellers entering Malaysia from Singapore and those using the Periodic Communicating Arrangement (PCA) facility have to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine at government-gazetted stations beginning May 13.

Travellers from Singapore are also required to adhere to the SOPs for all travellers from countries with SARS-CoV-2 VOC in the community, he said.

Noor Hisham said the health ministry will constantly update the list of countries with SARS-CoV-2 VOC transmissions in the community and make it public.