MOH given time for border reopening proposals

ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Health Ministry (MOH) has been given two to three weeks to present to the Cabinet proposals and standard operating procedure for the reopening of the country’s borders, says Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The Prime Minister said a decision on whether to open the borders must be looked into carefully as the government has been receiving a lot of feedback, including public views for more intervention to be done by the government, especially with regards to SOP due to concerns on Covid-19 transmission.

“If there was a choice, we would like to open up the economy, especially since tourism income is huge, which will help the nation but at the same time, we need to protect the people, so a balance is what is being sought.

“We have given the MOH two to three weeks, and they have to present (their proposals) for the Cabinet to decide whether to fully reopen the borders or with restrictions (involving) selected countries,” he said in response to National Recovery Council chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s statement on the importance of reopening the country’s borders on March 1. — Bernama