KUALA LUMPUR (March 24): With Malaysia reopening its borders in its transition to an endemic phase beginning from April 1, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has set protocols for all fully vaccinated travellers to follow.
Pre-departure measures:
1) Travellers are required to download, register and activate the MySejahtera application.
2) They are required to complete a travel declaration including vaccination information that can be accessed via the Traveller icon in the MySejahtera application.
3) They are required to upload the results of their RT-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test done two days before departure.
4) For travellers who were infected with Covid-19 within six to 60 days before departure, they are required to upload the results of their Rapid Test Kit Antigen (RTK-Ag) done two days before departure.
5) Meanwhile, non-citizen travellers are also required to have both Covid-19 and travel insurance, as well as to state the address where they will be staying in Malaysia.
According to Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, these protocols have been established and prepared by MoH for travellers to make Malaysia a safe destination as well as avoid congestion at international entry points.
"By sending the above information, travellers will get the following display in their MySejahtera application [namely] traveller card for travellers with complete vaccine," he told a press conference in parliament on Thursday (March 24).
"[Also,] surveillance and observation instruction or Home Surveillance Order (HSO) of five days for incomplete-vaccination or no-vaccination travellers.
"For travellers who do not have a traveller card display or HSO instruction, they are not allowed to continue their journey," he added.
Upon arrival in Malaysia:
1) Travellers will go through fever screenings via thermal scanners or conduct self-referrals by reporting to health workers if they are symptomatic for further examination at the health counters at the international entry points.
2) Asymptomatic travellers can continue their journey to the immigration counters for further checks.
24 hours after travellers arrive in Malaysia:
1) Travellers are required to undergo the same RTK-Ag test whether at a private health facility at the international entry points or outside within 24 hours.
2) The RTK-Ag test results will be obtained in the MySejahtera app.
"If the RTK-Ag Professional test results are positive, travellers with complete vaccination will be given [HSO] for seven days at their lodging for Categories 1 and 2.
"However, for Category 3 and above, they need to seek treatment at any Covid-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centre (PKRC) or private hospital. For travellers who are not fully vaccinated or have no vaccination, they will be given HSO for 10 days," said Khairy.
If the RTK-Ag Professional test results are negative, he added that travellers who are fully vaccinated do not need to undergo quarantine.
"For travellers who are not fully vaccinated or not vaccinated, they will be given HSO for five days at their accommodation as well as being required to undergo RT-PCR test on the fourth day or RTK-Ag test on the fifth day.
"If the second sample test of Covid-19 is found to be positive, they will be given HSO for five days from the date the second sample was taken. Meanwhile, if the Covid-19 results are negative, they will be released from the HSO," he said.
Meanwhile, children aged six and below are not required to undergo both the Covid-19 pre-departure screening and upon-arrival testing.