Asean travel bubble: How to make it work

Important development: The Singapore-Malaysia border reopening plan has regional implications for easing travel curbs while living with Covid-19. — Reuters

THE recently announced reciprocal green lane agreement between Singapore and Malaysia is a small but significant step forward, not just bilaterally but also in the broader context of how countries in South-east Asia can safely reopen their borders amid an ongoing pandemic.

Set to begin on Aug 10, it could be the precursor to an eventual Asean-wide “travel bubble”. More immediately, it offers an important first test case of how countries can successfully lift restrictions bit by bit while keeping the spread of the coronavirus in check.

The Singapore-Malaysia green lane is, as the name suggests, a lane, not a highway. It limits cross-border travel to long-term pass holders and travellers on essential or official business.