Malaysia: Authorities to tighten COVID-19 restrictions in Sarawak State May 29-June 11 /update 44

Event

Authorities will tighten COVID-19 restrictions and implement stricter protocols, termed the movement control orders (MCO), in Sarawak State May 29-June 11. MCO rules also remain in effect in all other parts of Malaysia, except Sabah State, through June 7. Under MCO, 40 percent and 80 percent of private and public sector employees, respectively, must work from home. Exemptions are in place, including those for public sector workers providing essential services. Officials allow public transport to operate at 50 percent capacity. Food establishments, retail stores, markets, and petrol stations have reduced their operating hours. Social gatherings and educational institutions remain suspended. Nonessential inter-state and inter-district travel remain banned nationwide through June 6.

Sabah State continues to enact less strict rules, termed the conditional movement control orders (CMCO), as of May 28. Under CMCO, most industries can operate with particular protocols, though some businesses like entertainment venues must remain closed. Most economic sectors are operating with shortened opening hours. Sabah State has reinstated inter-district travel suspension since May 24.

Authorities have also imposed enhanced movement control orders (EMCO), the strictest level of curbs, in areas with higher local COVID-19 activity. The locations include most of Pahang State's Kuantan District and parts of Labuan, which are enforcing EMCO through June 6 and June 24 respectively. 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. Sabah requires most incoming passengers to provide a negative RT-PCR test result upon arrival; exceptions are in effect for travelers on state duty. Returning residents and non-resident travelers must quarantine for 14 days at their own residence or at hotels at their own expense, respectively. 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. 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 has suspended the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL), which allows limited short-term cross-border travel with Singapore for business and official purposes since May 13. Authorities are requiring 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