Malaysia: Authorities plan to enforce stricter rules, termed movement control orders (MCO), nationwide May 12-June 7 /update 42

Event

Authorities plan to impose stricter protocols, termed the movement control orders (MCO), nationwide May 12-June 7 due to increased COVID-19 activity. Employees must work from home, though up to 30 percent of staff in managerial roles may work on-site. Workers in essential industries are likely exempt from the rules. Social gatherings and educational institutions are suspended. Food establishments cannot serve dining-in customers, though they can still serve takeaway and delivery orders. Nonessential inter-state and inter-district travel remain banned through June 6.

Sabah State officials have announced they would continue implementing less strict rules, termed the conditional movement control orders (CMCO), through May 17, despite the central government's instructions for all areas nationwide to enact MCO. Under CMCO, most industries can operate with particular protocols, though some businesses like entertainment venues must remain closed. Markets, shopping centers, retail stores, and food establishments can open 06:00-23:59 daily.

Authorities have also imposed enhanced movement control orders (EMCO), the strictest level of controls, in areas with high COVID-19 activity. The locations include Felda Kahang Timur in Kluang, Johor State, and Kampung Bako Hiilir in Kuching, Sarawak State, where EMCO will be in effect May 12-25. EMCO rules typically include stay-at-home orders and a ban on travel into and out of the affected areas. Only two people per household may leave their residences to buy essential goods. Residents must not travel more than 10 km (6 miles) from their homes. Most nonessential businesses are closed, and employees are required to work from home to the extent possible.

State governments may impose additional restrictions on top of those mandated by the central authorities. Sarawak requires all persons arriving in the state, including those from other parts of Malaysia, to present a negative result from a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test taken within 72 hours before entry. Central or state authorities may enact or reintroduce restrictions if COVID-19 cases increase.

Travel Restrictions
Most foreigners remain banned from entering Malaysia; exemptions are in place for resident diplomats, foreign spouses and dependents of Malaysian citizens, long-term pass holders, and expatriate employees working in essential industries and their dependents. Travelers must seek prior approval from authorities, undergo tests for COVID-19 upon arrival, and download the MySejahtera contact-tracing application. Arrivals from most countries must quarantine at designated sites for 10 days. As of May 11, officials require 14-day quarantine for travelers arriving from several locations, including Argentina, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Mozambique, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, UAE, the UK, and the US. Individuals arriving from the specified countries must undergo COVID-19 tests three days before their flights to Malaysia. Officials may include additional countries in the list at short notice. Foreign nationals from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, except for diplomatic officials, are barred from entering Malaysia. Authorities have indefinitely suspended flights from India.

Foreigners may transit Malaysian airports as long as they do not pass through immigration points. Malaysian nationals remain banned from traveling abroad, with limited exceptions.

Sabah State has banned entry for travelers, including long-term pass holders, from several countries, including Brazil, France, South Africa, and the US. Exceptions are in place for diplomats and their dependents, workers in the oil and gas industry, and maritime vessel crew members.

Malaysia will suspend the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), which allows limited short-term cross-border travel with Singapore for business and official purposes from May 13. Authorities will require travelers under the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA), which allows travelers to make multiple-entry visits to and from Singapore through land border crossings at Woodlands or Tuas for 90-day stays, to undergo 14-day quarantine at designated facilities.

Advice

Follow all official health and safety measures. Ensure contingency plans account for additional disruptive controls or further extensions of current restrictions. Postpone travel if affected by restrictions. Confirm flight status before checking out of accommodation and departing for the airport. Follow all official instructions, particularly if traveling from affected locations. Allow additional time for immigration and health screenings at all ports of entry. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays.

Resources

Prime Minister's Office
Immigration Department of Malaysia
World Health Organization (WHO)
MySejahtera application