Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri along with Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong has announced effective 1 April 2022, fully vaccinated travellers, and non-fully vaccinated children aged 12 and below are permitted to travel to both countries without having to undergo testing protocols and quarantine. Travellers may travel between both countries via land transport without border health measures and are no longer restricted to a limited quota.
A statement by the Ministry Of International Trade and Industry said that the full resumption of land travel will catalyse business activities not only for the severely impacted tourism industry but also to provide a strong impetus for our postCOVID-19 economic recovery, boosting external trade and employment, which in turn, will contribute to the 2022 GDP growth projections of between 5.5% and 6.5%.
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) plays a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of the workforce and citizens between Malaysia and Singapore disrupted by the global pandemic.
Realising the need to accelerate the reopening of the borders, a Joint Steering Committee co-chaired by MITI with the Singaporean counterpart was established to work towards resuming land border travel in a gradual, safe, systematic and sustainable manner.
The Vaccinated Travel Lane-Land (VTL-Land) between Malaysia and Singapore launched on 29 November 2021, has facilitated quarantine-free, seamless crossborder movement of nearly 125,000 travellers by integrating health protocol, security and immigration clearance which resulted in the gradual resumption of bilateral and economic relations between Malaysia and Singapore so vital in advancing our economic recovery efforts.
VTL-Land is the foundation of future efforts to facilitate trade and investment as well as economic recovery. It has also enabled social recovery by continuing or reestablishing livelihoods as well as reconnecting those separated from their loved ones due to the pandemic to travel home and reunite with their families. The full travel resumption will further enhance bilateral trade and investment with Singapore towards further vibrant growth and sustainable economic recovery of both countries.
