Malaysia to exempt int'l tourists from mandatory quarantine this April

By Hoang Phong March 9, 2022 | 04:30 am PT

A view of the city skyline in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 27, 2021. Photo by Reuters/Lim Huey Teng

The Malaysian government would allow all fully vaccinated foreign tourists, including from Vietnam to enter the country without undergoing mandatory quarantine from April 1 after two years of border closures.

Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the border reopening was part of the transition into the "endemic" phase of living with the virus, Strait Times reported.

Visitors will be required to undergo pre-departure tests using the RT-PCR method and upon-arrival tests (RTK-Antigen under professional supervision) 24 hours after arriving.

Travelers who wish to enter Malaysia only need to download the MySejahtera tracking application and fill out a pre-departure travel form.

Malaysia shut its borders two years ago on March 18, 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic spread rapidly around the world.

Earlier, Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Thailand had reopened but with certain entry requirements for Vietnamese tourists.

From March 15, Vietnam will fully reopen inbound tourism, with foreign tourists allowed to visit the country without booking tour packages.