Malaysia’s coronavirus recovery council on Tuesday said it has recommended a full reopening of borders from March 1 without mandatory quarantine for travelers, as part of plans to accelerate economic recovery.
The Southeast Asian nation has shut its borders since March 2020 and froze the entry of foreign workers to try to contain novel coronavirus outbreaks.
The recommendation comes as neighbors waive quarantine requirements to attract vaccinated tourists, including Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore.
Thailand on Monday said it was eyeing travel bubbles with Malaysia and China.
Muhyiddin Yassin, a former premier and chairperson of the National Recovery Council (NRC), a government advisory body, said travelers would have to undergo COVID-19 screening before departure and on arrival.
At present, Malaysia allows quarantine-free entry to people from Singapore as part of a bilateral arrangement.
Daily coronavirus infections in Malaysia have surged in recent weeks to their highest in four months, driven by the Omicron variant.
About 98 percent of Malaysia's adult population has received two doses of the vaccine and more than half a booster shot. About 89% of 12-17-year-old have been vaccinated and inoculations for children aged 5-11 started last week.
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