PM: Johor MB to discuss cross-border issues with Singapore

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said he had asked Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Hasni Mohammad (pic) to discuss the issue of cross-border movement with Singapore, especially for Malaysians commuting to the neighbouring country for work.

"The important thing is the daily cross-border (movement) as it involves hundreds of thousands, while Singapore is still not open (the border for that purpose).

"Workers (Malaysians) in the republic have not returned (to Malaysia) because day movements to Johor Bahru have not been allowed for more than a year,” he said in a special interview with senior media editors here recently.

He said that previously, Singapore was not ready to allow entry from Malaysia given the high number of cases in Malaysia then, including the suspension of the Singapore-Malaysia Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL).

"Now, though we are quite worried about the number of cases in Singapore, which has increased to 2,000 cases a day, we will still continue discussions with Singapore (for border reopening)," he said.

Previously, Malaysia and Singapore agreed to implement Malaysia-Singapore border crossing under the RGL scheme and the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA), starting Aug 17 last year, but then Singapore suspended the RGL on Feb 1 this year while Malaysia took similar action on May 13.

On interstate travel, which would be allowed once the national vaccination rate exceeds 90%, the prime minister said it would be achieved soon and he would announce it along with the stipulated standard operating procedure (SOP).

According to the Ministry of Health’s CovidNow portal, 20,317,843 individuals or 86.8% of adults in Malaysia have completed their vaccination as of Friday (Oct 1). - Bernama