Media statement by DAP Johor Chairman Liew Chin Tong on 23 March 2021
It has been reported that the Malaysian government intends to discuss with the visiting Singapore Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrisnan about the possibility of mutually recognising vaccine certification or having a ‘vaccine passport’ issued by the two nations.
The flow of people at the Malaysia-Singapore border is the most important factor to the Johor economy. Prior to the border closure, many Johoreans and Malaysians from other states travel to work in Singapore. Businesses in the Johor Bahru area are also highly dependent on Singaporean visitors. Since the border closure over a year ago, many workers and businesses have been affected and many families have been living apart.
It is envisaged that in the months to come, increasingly more people on both sides of the Causeway will be vaccinated. The reopening of the borders should be planned now and the decision must be publicly announced, to allow the hundreds of thousands of people caught in between to know what to do next, and also for businesses on both sides of the Causeway to plan ahead.
I therefore urge the Malaysian and Singaporean governments to place the discussions on vaccine passport and the reopening of borders as their top agenda in today’s meeting.
To all Malaysians who created the GE14 miracle, keep fighting. We will be back stronger.