Cabinet to discuss border reopening, says Hishammuddin

Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein today said that any move to reopen the country’s borders would need to be discussed by the Cabinet first as it involves various ministries.

He added however that the Covid-19 Quartet Ministerial Meeting welcomed the recommendation by National Recovery Council (MPN) chairman Muhyiddin Yassin for the government to fully open the country’s borders as early as March 1.

“Among the ministries involved are the defence, finance and health ministries.

“This issue was also discussed by us and we welcome it (the announcement), but this matter needs to be brought to the cabinet or the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Special Committee chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri to get a final answer,” he said at a press conference today.

Muhyiddin, in his capacity as MPN chairman, had proposed the full reopening of the country’s borders without mandatory quarantine from as early as March 1, in order to support the country’s economic recovery process and other tourism-related industries.

Hishammuddin also refuted allegations by some quarters that there was no understanding over the issue between the Covid-19 Quartet Ministerial Meeting and MPN.

“If you want to say that there is no communication between MPN and the Covid-19 Quartet Ministerial Meeting, that is not true because its members are the same individuals, but both entities do not have the mandate to make a decision (on this issue),” he said.