Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to start cross-border travel for long-term pass holders and travellers on essential or official business, scheduled to begin on Aug 10.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan announced the reciprocal green lane and periodic commuting arrangement in a joint statement yesterday.
Eligible travellers for the green lane - meant for those on essential or official business - will have to abide by measures, including taking Covid-19 swab tests and submitting their itineraries.
The periodic commuting arrangement will allow Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to enter that country for work.
After at least three consecutive months in their country of work, they may return to their home country for short-term home leave, and thereafter re-enter their country of work to continue working for at least another three consecutive months, said the statement.
The proposed Aug 10 date will give the relevant agencies of both governments time to finalise the standard operating procedures for both initiatives, said the statement.
The requirements, health protocols and application process involved for entry and exit in Malaysia and Singapore will be published 10 days before their implementation.
In a Facebook post yesterday, Dr Balakrishnan wrote: "Singapore and Malaysia share deep and extensive ties, and cross-border people-to-people interactions and economic exchanges are important to both countries.
"Through these travel arrangements, we hope to progressively and safely restore these exchanges and address the needs of different groups of travellers."
The two countries have also agreed to develop other schemes for cross-border movement, including a proposal for daily cross-border commuting for work purposes.
This will take into account the required health protocols and available medical resources in both countries to ensure the safety of the citizens of both sides.
Before Covid-19 restrictions were in place, more than 300,000 people, many of them Malaysians working in Singapore, crossed the land checkpoints between the two countries daily.
Some Malaysian workers remained in Singapore when the movement control order came into force on March 18.
Since last month, Malaysia has been in a "recovery phase", but its international borders remain shut.
Singapore began the reopening of its borders on June 8, a week after it lifted its circuit breaker, by launching a "fast lane" agreement with China. This allowed essential business and official travel to resume, with some restrictions.
However, most other long-term pass holders arriving in Singapore - with the exception of those arriving from certain places such as New Zealand, Japan and Vietnam - still have to serve a 14-day stay-home notice period at dedicated facilities.
Malaysian Alex Helly, 38, a long-term work pass holder who has not returned home to Kulai in Johor since March 17, said he was counting down the days to reuniting with his wife and child.
The data centre facilities engineer, who has been living with his brother, told The Straits Times: "I'm looking forward to going back as I've been video-calling my wife and one-year-old daughter every day. That's all I can do now."
But the easing of restrictions will not apply to others like Singaporean Tan Yam Hon, who runs a business exporting malt waste to Malaysia to be used as poultry feed.
He used to visit Malaysia regularly to supervise his workers there, but has not entered the country since March.
Mr Tan, 48, does not have a long-term work pass for Malaysia as his main office is in Singapore.
"It's not yet confirmed that we can go into Malaysia and out without having to serve the quarantine period on both sides, so we're still waiting for good news," he said.
