As more people are getting their booster shot and completing their vaccination, it is only normal to think that travelling and opening borders are not too far within our reach. Well, according to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Malaysia’s border may reopen in the second quarter of 2022, saying it is a realistic target for our country.
He clarified that Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had given the health ministry 2 weeks to prepare guideline for border reopening, and not 2 weeks to reopen the border. Khairy added that reopening the border will need prior discussion at several levels like presenting to the Covid-19 Pandemic Management Committee and Covid-19 Quartet Ministers before bringing it to the Cabinet.
“And that is why a huge decision as this cannot be made at the MOH level as this is a major policy. I expect early in the second quarter of the year as a realistic target, but let the Prime Minister decide on this,” Khairy said.
Earlier on, the National Recovery Council (NRC) proposed for our country to reopen the border on 1 March 2022, but the proposal was rejected by current PM Ismail Sabri who explained that the proposal needed to be discussed by the Cabinet.