HANOI: Malaysia now recognises Vietnam’s Covid-19 vaccination certificate in a bid to boost tourism activities under a post-pandemic cooperation between the two countries, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
The country opened its borders on March 15 while Malaysia would reopen its borders on April 1.
Vietnam, said Ismail Sabri, used vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and recognised Malaysia’s vaccination certificate.
“Besides bringing forward existing cooperation to a higher level, I have put forward several new initiatives of cooperation.
“Firstly, on the mutual recognition of Covid-19 vaccination certificates where Vietnam had earlier accorded recognition to Malaysia’s vaccination certificate (August 2021).
“During my meeting with the Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, I informed him that Malaysia has agreed to recognise Vietnam’s vaccination certificate,” he told Malaysian journalists on the outcome of his two-day official visit to Vietnam which ended yesterday.
Ismail Sabri suggested that the two countries finalise the process for the integration of Malaysia’s MySejahtera app with Vietnam’s PC COVID.
“The integration of these two apps will facilitate travel, especially through the gateways of the two countries. This means the people of Vietnam can use their app to enter our country, and we can use MySejahtera in Vietnam.
“This will definitely promote tourism between the two countries,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama, adding that the visit had also strengthened bilateral cooperation in various fields, including economy, investment and tourism.
As part of efforts to boost strategic partnerships between Malaysia and Vietnam, he also outlined comprehensive approaches involving bilateral government, business and people ties.
He said his meetings with four Vietnamese leaders showed that both Malaysia and Vietnam remained very committed to putting in place comprehensive cooperation under the Plan of Action (POA) 2021-2025 for Implementation of Malaysia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership.
Ismail Sabri said he also proposed that both countries organise programmes to celebrate the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“I suggested high-level exchanges in conjunction with the 50th anniversary celebration, starting with the state visit of Vietnam President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Malaysia this year,” he said, adding that the suggestions were well received by the Vietnamese leaders.
On Monday, Ismail Sabri had called on Phuc at the Presidential Palace, followed by meetings with Communist Party of Vietnam general secretary Nguyen Phu Trong and National Assembly chairman Vuong Dinh Hue.
Ismail Sabri spoke fully in Bahasa Malaysia at all the meetings, which was translated into English.
Also present at the meetings were Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, Attorney-General Tan Sri Idrus Harun and other senior officials.
The Prime Minister, who was making his maiden visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Chinh, left for Malaysia yesterday.
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