Malaysia to Ban Entry of Indonesian Citizens Next Week

KOMPAS.com – Malaysia will ban the entry of long-term immigration pass holders from Indonesia from September 7 in a move to curb imported Covid-19 cases in the country.

Previously, Malaysia’s Defense Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the government would impose the entry bans on citizens from Indonesia, the Philippines, and India from Monday.

A spokesman for Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Teuku Faizasyah has confirmed the ban. “The Malaysian government will stop long-term pass holders from the Philippines, Indonesia, and India from entering Malaysian territory,” Faizasyah told Kompas.com on Thursday, September 3.

The ban will affect the long-term pass holders, students, expatriates, permanent residents, and family members of Malaysian citizens. The ban, he added, will go into effect from September 7.

Also read: Indonesia, Malaysia Team Up to Win the Trust of Travelers

He explained the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had summoned Malaysia’s Ambassador to Indonesia to clarify the matter on Wednesday. The Malaysian envoy, he said, will relay the messages to his headquarters.

The reasons for the ban remain unclear. Currently, the Indonesian government is still waiting for the details. “We ask for the clarification and wait for the exact reason on the restrictions,” he said.

The policy to ban Indonesian citizens from visiting Malaysia is only temporary. “The Malaysian ambassador informed us that the policy is temporary and will be reviewed weekly,” he added.

It was reported that Malaysia’s Defense Minister Ismail said he would also monitor the Covid-19 development in other countries and impose the ban on the countries with a high number of confirmed Covid-19 cases.

“We have started tightening border controls by prohibiting citizens from the three countries from entering Malaysia,” he said.