Tit-for-tat that led to airport fiasco and stranded M’sians

KUALA LUMPUR: The fiasco involving the seven Malaysians stranded at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport was apparently due to a breakdown in efforts to mutually recognise each country’s vaccination certificates, diplomatic sources revealed.

The matter involved Malaysia accepting Philippines’ VaxCertPH in return for recognition of the MySejahtera digital certificate.

Manila claimed that it has long been requesting Malaysia for mutual recognition, but Putrajaya was slow to respond on the issue, with “confusion” among its authorities.

Sources said there was a “yes and no” between the Philippine Foreign Ministry, Health Ministry and Bureau of Immigration.

Philippine Ambassador to Malaysia Charles C. Jose said his government sent an official request to Wisma Putra in September last year for mutual recognition of the vaccination certificates.

“More recently, we informed Malaysia that the Philippines will recognise MySejahtera but we are still waiting for Malaysia to recognise our VaxCertPH.

“At present, we only allow in foreign nationals from countries with whom we have mutually recognised vaccination certs,” he told The Star yesterday.

The Philippines has approved Covid-19 vaccination certificates from Slovenia, Bahrain, Qatar, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Brazil, Israel, South Korea and Timor-Leste, among others.

The envoy said he was informed that the Malaysian Embassy in Manila had sent a note to his Foreign Ministry yesterday indicating that Malaysia was recognising the VaxCertPH.

“This, however, will still have to be processed before the new policy can be implemented,” he said, adding that the Bureau of Immigration had the sole discretion on the matter.

When asked what Malaysians planning to head to the Philippines should do, Jose said: “While the new arrangement is still not in place, another acceptable proof of vaccination is the WHO international vaccination certificate or ‘yellow card’.

“This can be obtained at the district health office where one resides.”

However, the matter has now been resolved and Malaysians can enter the Philippines.

According to news website GMA Online, the Philippines has just recognised the vaccination certificates from two countries – Malaysia and Ireland.

It quoted acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles as saying yesterday that Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) had approved this recommendation from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

At about 6pm yesterday, the seven Malaysians stranded at the airport were finally allowed to enter Manila.

“Wisma Putra is liaising with the relevant agencies to facilitate the process smoothly.

“The Malaysian government will always continue to uphold and protect the rights of our fellow Malaysian Family,” Wisma Putra said in an earlier tweet.