Putrajaya ayes rules for international travellers to Langkawi

 

The Special Committee on Pandemic Management has approved a set of rules to open Langkawi to international travellers as part of a pilot project.

However, no date has been set. Yesterday, Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Nancy Shukri suggested that the project can begin in November.

The rules are extremely strict. The government is targeting "high yield" visitors who are fully vaccinated and limited to countries that will be determined later.

Visitors must stay for at least three days and will not be subject to quarantine rules. Visitors must also subject themselves to a PCR-RT test 72 hours before departure and take up travel insurance of at least US$80,000 (RM332,000).

Those who test positive for Covid-19 upon arrival must be subject to quarantine. Visitors must also conduct another PCR-RT test before departing Malaysia.

The committee, chaired by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, met today.

Different rules for foreign workers

Meanwhile, Ismail Sabri also announced that the committee has approved rules for allowing foreign labourers to enter Malaysia.

"Applications will be approved on a case-by-case basis by the Foreign Workers Committee co-chaired by the home minister and human resources minister," Ismail Sabri said.

Unlike visitors to Langkawi under the pilot project, foreign labourers can only enter Malaysia through special gates at KLIA1 and KLIA2, with the exception of workers from Thailand, who can enter through northern land borders.

Foreign workers who enter through KLIA1 and KLIA2 will need to undergo seven-day quarantine in designated quarantine centres in the Klang Valley and undergo a PCR-RT test on the second and fifth day of quarantine.

"If found to be positive for Covid-19, those in Category 1 and 2 will have to be isolated in private quarantine centres while those in Category 3, 4 and 5 will have to be referred to private hospitals," Ismail Sabri said. - Mkini