Issue #77 - 15 Defining Events of the COVID-19 Era in Malaysia
3 governments, 3 lockdowns, State of Emergency & an 8-month domestic travel ban.
Welcome to issue 77 of Asia Travel Re:Set…
“Once the current Omicron surge stabilises, Malaysia will reopen its borders. This is likely to be in the not-too-distant future.”
I wrote those words in Issue 72, on 13 February.
This week, on 1 April, Malaysia will reopen to the world. A pre-flight PCR test is needed and a rapid test within 24 hours of arrival. The results must be uploaded to the national MySejahtera health-tracking app.
Two years and 14 days will have elapsed between the borders closing and reopening.
It has been a testing time socially, economically and politically. The physical and psychological impacts will endure for some time.
There are issues to iron out. But the freedom to travel into, around and out of Malaysia once more is eagerly awaited.
Thanks for being onboard.
The Sunday Itinerary
- “IN THE NEWS”
- 15 Defining Events of the COVID-19 Era in Malaysia
3 governments, 3 lockdowns, State of Emergency & an 8-month domestic travel ban.
- Take-off for South East Asia’s New Travel Reality
Travel and tourism are starting to return to South East Asia. So, what happens next?
“IN THE NEWS”
On Thursday, I joined Manoharan Periasamy of Tourism Malaysia, Juhan Kamaruddin of Gaya Travel Magazine and Saraya Mia of TV station Astro AWANI to discuss various issues regarding Malaysia’s reopening. CLICK here to watch.
I also spoke with Tommy Walker of VOA about Thailand’s complex path towards treating COVID-19 as endemic and boosting inbound travel.
15 Defining Events of the COVID-19 Era in Malaysia
3 governments, 3 lockdowns, State of Emergency & an 8-month domestic travel ban.
1) The 11th Country to Report an Infection
Malaysia became the 11th nation worldwide to record a case of 2019-nCoV (later renamed COVID-19). This was confirmed by the WHO on 16 January 2020. At that point, there were 2,014 global cases - 1,985 of which were in China.
2) The Government Falls #1
As COVID-19 started to impact daily life in Malaysia, fevered political machinations saw the elected Pakatan Harapan coalition government under Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamad fall on 24 February 2020. Having won the 14th General Election in May 2018, ending six decades of Barisan Nasional dominance, it was replaced by another coalition, Perikatan Nasional, under new Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. It’a a very long, complex story, but there has not yet been another General Election.
3) Movement Control Order (MCO) No. 1
With COVID infections rising, the new government placed Malaysia under an austere Movement Control Order (MCO - or Lockdown) on 18 March 2020. Malaysia counted a total of 553 cases by this date, the 4th-highest worldwide, behind China, Japan and South Korea. Officially described as “drastic immediate action to stop the spread of COVID-19”, the MCO was due to last for 2 weeks. Subsequently extended in 2-weekly increments, it was partially lifted on 4 May, as Malaysia entered CMCO (Conditional Movement Control Order).
4) Movement Control Order (MCO) No. 2
The rest of 2020 was fairly uneventful, but with infections rising again following the Christmas 2020 / 2021 New Year domestic travel season, Malaysia entered a new period of lockdown on 12 January 2021. At that point, Malaysia had recorded 16,186 cases in the previous 7 days. The MCO No. 2 lasted until early March. BUT…
5) State of Emergency
… Overlapping MCO No. 2 (are you still with me?), the government declared on 11 January 2021 a national State of Emergency until 1 August. This saw numerous police roadblocks on highways, and military patrols in some areas. It was a tense time.
6) 8-Month Domestic Travel Ban
MCO No. 2 (alongside the State of Emergency) placed a ban on all forms of domestic travel except urgent business travel (for which police approval was required). This would endure until mid-September 2021.
7) Movement Control Order (MCO) No. 3
The arrival of the Delta Wave in late April saw infections multiply and hospitals overwhelmed. In response, the government introduced MCO 3.0 on 12 May. It was due to last until 7 June but continued under reduced rules in some states until October.
8) The Government Falls #2
By the third quarter of 2021, the economic impacts had worsened, and the Black Flag / White Flag movements emerged to help people unable to purchase food. An over-stretched health system due to Delta infections combined with a protracted MCO that was failing to improve the situation, and political wrangling over the State of Emergency saw Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin resign on 16 August. His government was replaced on 21 August by another coalition under Prime Minister Ismail Sabri. It remains in place with a General Election expected later this year.
Click to read Parts 1 and 2 of Asia Travel Re:Set’s recent Malaysia trilogy:
9) Langkawi Domestic Travel Bubble / International Outbound
While interstate travel in Malaysia remained off-limits, a pilot travel bubble for vaccinated residents began on 16 September 2021 on the northern island of Langkawi. Initially, passengers had to take a pre-flight rapid test, but this was soon scrapped.
The nation’s vaccine rollout had progressed effectively, however. With a target of 90% of the adult populated reached, the domestic travel ban was lifted on 11 October 2021. PLUS, fully vaccinated residents were permitted to travel overseas if they completed a home quarantine upon return.
10) Malaysia-Indonesia Vaccinated Travel Lane?
On 10 November 2021, Malaysia’s Prime Minister and Indonesian President agreed to establish a Malaysia-Indonesia Vaccinated Travel Lane once the COVID-19 situation had improved in both countries. It never happened.
11) Malaysia Should Reopen By 1 January 2022
On 11 November, Malaysia’s COVID-19 National Recovery Council an advisory board chaired by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, proposed that Malaysia’s borders should reopen “by 1 January 2022.”
12) Langkawi International Travel Bubble
On 15 November 2021, Malaysia cautiously reopened Langkawi to inbound visitors. Testing requirements were stringent and daily (although later eased), and all bookings were through locally approved agents. The cost for travellers was extremely high. It attracted “around 8,000 arrivals” by late March, according to Tourism Malaysia.
13) Malaysia Singapore Vaccinated Travel Lane
On 29 November, Singapore and Malaysia commenced a quota-capped, bilateral Vaccinated Travel Lane. Initially for air passengers between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, it also incorporated cross-border land travel. New bookings were suspended over Christmas/New Year as Omicron spread in both countries. The scheme resumed at reduced capacities in late-January 2022, with quotas raised in mid- February.
14) Malaysia Should Reopen By 1 March 2022
On 8 February 2022, the COVID-19 National Recovery Council chaired by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin publicly proposed to the coalition government that Malaysia should reopen its borders “as early as 1 March.” The deadline passed.
15) Malaysia Gets Ready to Reopen
On 8 March 2022, PM Ismail Sabri announced Malaysia would reopen its borders on 1 April. However, Vaccinated Travel Lanes would pertain with countries for which reciprocal travel agreements were not in place. Last week, Singapore and Malaysia agreed to fully reopen land and air borders to each other’s travellers on 1 April.
Take-off for South East Asia’s New Travel Reality
South East Asia’s travel landscape is reshaping, and the travel industry is hoping for a recovery to start in earnest in the second half of 2022. The final edition of The South East Asia Travel Show’s 8-part Two Years of Travel Disruption series brings together the impacts of the past 2 years and anticipates a new era of travel
Hannah and I are joined by Dan Lynn, co-founder of Singapore-based ZUZU Hospitality. Dan’s career includes management roles with Expedia, the AirAsia-Expedia joint venture and eLong.
Combining the latest data with insights from South East Asia’s reopenings, we check the outlook for airlines, airports, hotels and OTAs. Plus, how will the absence of the Chinese market unfold?
Listen to Two Years of Travel Disruption, Part 8 - Take-off for South East Asia’s New Travel Reality, with Dan Lynn, ZUZU Hospitality:
Or search for The South East Asia Travel Show on any podcast platform.
And, that’s a wrap for Issue 77.
Until next Sunday, find me on Twitter, LinkedIn, the Asia Travel Re:Set website and The South East Asia Travel Show - which this week heads (vicariously) to one of my favourite places, Myanmar.
Happy travels,
Gary