KUALA LUMPUR (March 10): The Ministry of Transport has announced that the daily passenger quota under the vaccinated travel lane land travel initiative (VTL-Land) to Singapore will be increased to 3,420 people from 2,160 starting Monday, March 14.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong said this would allow even more fully vaccinated people to travel across the Causeway without being subject to quarantine and other related requirements.
He added that this announcement follows the previous increase of capacities from 50% to 100% on Feb 16.
“The sale of bus tickets for the additional daily quota will begin on Friday, March 11 for travel from Monday, March 14 onwards,” he said in a statement on Thursday (March 10).
According to Wee, Malaysia’s designated bus operator will continue to operate the VTL-Land to Singapore from the Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru.
He added that passengers will still be subject to existing VTL-Land travel requirements including the pre-departure tests (PDT) and on-arrival tests (OAT).
On the transition to the endemic phase on April 1, Wee said that while this will involve several relaxations of travel protocols, the VTL-Land agreement with Singapore remains in effect as a bilateral agreement between both governments to ensure better safety for land travel to and from the republic.
“This arrangement is being jointly reviewed by the respective authorities of both countries ahead of any future announcements,” he added.
Malaysia will reopen its borders on April 1 as it seeks to revive the country's economy, especially the tourism industry, which has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Tuesday (March 8) said the decision was made based on the latest scientific evidence and facts related to Covid-19, and comparing the requirements for the reopening of borders by other countries.
He added that the move was also to ensure the comfort of travellers as well as to not complicate their journey.
In a nationwide address, Ismail Sabri also announced that the transition to the endemic phase is an exit strategy that would allow Malaysians to return to near-normal life after nearly two years of battling the pandemic.
Prior to this, the country’s borders have been shut since the movement control orders were enforced after Covid-19 cases first hit the country back in early 2020.
They remained shut until Nov 29 last year when the government introduced the VTL between Malaysia and Singapore.