Malaysians and Singaporeans rejoice as land borders finally reopen after two years. Johor Causeway was once described as one of the busiest land routes in the world before the pandemic. Last night, it was filled with plenty of Malaysians who have been patiently awaiting the reopening.
On the other end, minutes before midnight on 1 April 2022, many were seen flocking from Singapore Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) towards Malaysia. As the crowd began to move, they received a warm welcome from state executive councillors at CIQs in Johor.
The border had been closed since 17 March 2020. By 11:24 p.m. last night, hundreds of Malaysian family members of those who crossed the border last night were already patiently waiting to fetch them home.
Cries filled with tears of joy and happiness could also be heard. ‘Welcome back to Malaysia’ was among the phrases chanted by those who greeted them at the Johor Causeway.
On 25 March 2022, the Malaysian and Singaporean governments agreed to allow fully vaccinated travellers to cross the land border. Visitors can cross the border without having to quarantine. This applies to all categories of travellers and types of land transportation.
In addition to this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said all fully vaccinated short-term visitors no longer need to purchase compulsory travel insurance, according to Bernama.
However, travellers are still encouraged to purchase travel insurance as contingency protection when travelling. It may also include medical emergencies and hospitalisation costs, as well as travel-related disruptions.
The government also agreed to grant toll exemption for all types of vehicles for seven days in conjunction with the reopening. This marks a huge step towards normalising travel between the two countries as COVID-19 restrictions are progressively lifted.
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