Saifuddin said at a press conference at Kuala Lumpur International Airport that some Singaporeans enter Malaysia almost on a daily basis, and it is more realistic for Malaysia to exempt them.
Other travelers exempted include diplomatic passport holders, Malaysian permanent residents, Brunei General Certificate of Identity holders, and Thailand Border Pass holders.
Malaysia’s two border crossings with Singapore are among the busiest in the world, with some 135 million transits via the crossing each year, a figure that is expected to increase to 150 million in 2026, said Saifuddin.
Malaysia is expecting to welcome 7.8 million visits by Singaporean tourists in 2023. Singapore is currently the highest contributor to tourist arrivals in Malaysia, with more than 4.5 million recorded up during January - July 2023.
Earlier, Malaysia announced its visa-free entry policy for citizens of China and India for stays of up to 30 days, starting from Dec. 1, so as to promote tourism and economic growth.