Nancy Shukri: Borders will be reopened in stages
KUALA LUMPUR: Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri believes that the country’s borders will be fully reopened soon, albeit in stages.
She was optimistic that this will be achieved in order to help the tourism industry recover, not just in Malaysia but also globally, following the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said the ministry has already devised short and longterm strategies via ongoing discussions with other countries, apart from assessing other suggestions, including those in the Covid-19 Quartet Meeting, before fully reopening the borders.
“The National Recovery Council has suggested it, but we need to study it first, especially after the (Johor) election on what the situation will be like.
“The Health Ministry will need to see it from the perspective of hospital bed availability and more.
“As such, it won’t necessarily happen on March 1, but we are optimistic,” she told reporters after attending a forum on “The Thoughts and Leadership of Tun Hussein Onn” here yesterday.
She said initiatives such as the Vaccinated Travel Lane and Langkawi international tourism bubble had proceeded smoothly and could be used as an indicator on how to fully reopen the borders.
“For the Langkawi travel bubble in December, we had targeted only 200,000 tourists. The number has now exceeded 700,000, including foreign travellers.
“We had opened Langkawi to Malaysian tourists on Sept 16 and foreigners on Nov 15.
“From there, we are confident of reopening our other borders.
“However, we have to study it further as some countries have yet to allow their people to travel.
“Nevertheless, we are headed in that direction and are preparing for it.
“Discussions are ongoing with either Asean countries or bilaterally,” she said.