PUTRAJAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Malaysia will impose a travel ban on citizens of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal.

The move followed a temporary ban on flights from and to India to stop a new Covid-19 variant from entering Malaysia.

Senior Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, who announced this on Wednesday (May 5), however, did not state the date when this ban will take effect.

"The travel restriction imposed on citizens of these countries involved all categories holding long-term social visit passes, business travellers and for social visits.

"Exemptions are, however, given to holders of diplomatic passports and officials as stated in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961.

"This category will be considered to enter Malaysia using the existing standard operating procedures, " he said.

Malaysia had temporarily banned flights from and to India to stop a new Covid-19 variant from entering the country from April 28.

Ships and Indian citizens with Malaysian work permits will also be denied entry, he added.

Malaysia's National Security Council (NSC), the agency coordinating responses in the fight against Covid-19, has agreed to the proposal by the Health Ministry, with exemptions given to Malaysian citizens, who will undergo the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon entry.