This will involve restrictions on incoming flights from India, transit through Malaysia from India, the admission of international students of Indian citizenship and international business visitors, and more.
Malaysia's National Security Council (MKN) has announced a temporary ban on inbound flights from India, in light of the current COVID-19 situation there.
In a Facebook post on Monday (26 April 2021), MKN shared a series of actions undertaken to prevent the importation of the new COVID-19 variants into Malaysia. These are detailed below:
- Temporary restrictions on incoming flights from India, the admission of international students of Indian citizenship, and international business visitors.
- Temporary restrictions on the entry of foreign workers from India who have a valid temporary work visit pass (PLKS)
- Any traveller embarking on a journey from any destination in India, either by direct flight or transit through Malaysia, is prohibited from entering Malaysia. This ban also applies to passengers who transit in Malaysia to other countries. However, Malaysian citizens will be exempted from this rule.
- Any ship with a history of travel from India within 14 days are not allowed the sign-off procedure in Malaysia, except for Malaysian crews who are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine order.
- Temporary restrictions on the entry of foreign workers from India who have a valid temporary work visit pass (PLKS).
- Malaysian citizens (students and employees, spouses and children of Malaysian citizens living in India and religious groups) who are in India are allowed to enter Malaysia with a mandatory quarantine procedure of 14 days, at a dedicated quarantine facility.
- Similarly, non-citizens who are spouses of Malaysian citizens are allowed to enter Malaysia, but will also have to serve a mandatory 14-day quarantine at a dedicated quarantine facility.
According to a report by New Straits Times, Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this ban, which will begin on Wednesday (28 April), was agreed upon during a special meeting of the MKN. He said: "The Health Ministry has debated the recommended action to prevent the spread of the new COVID-19 Indian variant in the country, and the government has given the green light (for this move)."
Source: https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/malaysia-imposes-temporary-ban-on-recent-travellers-from-india-effective-28-april-2021