Malaysia relaxes COVID-19 testing rules, travel insurance for inbound travellers

Starting 1 May 2022, fully vaccinated inbound travellers are no longer required to undergo pre-departure and onarrival COVID-19 tests, including children aged 12 and below as well as for those who have been infected with COVID-19 within six to 60 days before departure to Malaysia.

Travel insurance will also not be a prerequisite for foreigners entering the country.

However, inbound travellers who are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 still need to undergo an RT-PCR test two days before departure as well as a professionally-administered RTKAg test within 24 hours upon arrival in Malaysia and observe a five-day quarantine (quarantine exemption is only for those aged 17 and below).

The wearing of masks outdoors is optional but still mandatory indoors, including in shopping malls, offices, public transportation, and e-hailing rides.

Nevertheless, face coverings are still encouraged in crowded places, and people at higher risk from COVID-19.

No more physical distancing is required, and people are now free to shake hands, but they are advised to practise good hand hygiene.

Meanwhile, check-ins via the contact tracing app MySejahtera will no longer be required, but the MySJ Trace function should be activated for contact tracing.

Regardless of the vaccination status, people will be allowed to enter the premises except for those who test positive for COVID-19 and have been issued a home surveillance order.

The seven-day mandatory quarantine for positive cases remains, and the MySejahtera app is used for the COVID-19 test results submission and health assessment.

However, those who test positive for COVID-19 may be released earlier from quarantine if their professionally administered RTKAg test on Day 4 is negative.

For more information on the latest standard operating procedures (SOP) for travelling to Malaysia, please visit https:// www.malaysia.travel/travel-alert or Mysafe Travel portal at https:// mysafetravel.gov.my/.