While many of us are waiting to be reunited with Hiap Joo’s banana cake in JB, even more residents here are eager to reunite with their families across the border.
It’s hard to envision, but many of them have been separated since Malaysia’s border closure in March 2020.
This is why priority for the land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) with Malaysia which launched on 29 Nov was given to citizens, permanent residents (PR), and long-term pass holders of the country that they are entering.
And they’re all grabbing this opportunity with both hands.
Land VTL Travellers from S’pore to M’sia Hit Daily Limit of 1,440 Travellers Per Day
In the first week of our VTL with Malaysia, nearly 12,000 people crossed the Malaysia-Singapore border via the Causeway.
Sure, that’s the amount that use to travel every 20 minutes before the pandemic, but with all the restrictions in place these days, it’s quite a feat.
For those coming into Singapore, 220 came in on the first day, 188 on the second, and 1,265 on the last.
But those heading to Malaysia greatly outnumbered those coming here – 952 travellers arrived in Johor Baru on the first day, followed by 1,037 on that second day, and 1,440 on the last three days.
For those who don’t know, only up to 1,440 travellers can cross over the other side every day, meaning those heading to Malaysia hit the quota on three consecutive days.
The daily quota will be increased weekly, with other modes of land transportation to be progressively rolled out.
M’sia Tightens Testing Regime for People Using Both Air & Land VTL
While travellers heading to Malaysia under the VTL won’t have to quarantine, they will now face a tighter testing regime implemented to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.
VTL travellers will now have to undergo COVID-19 RTK-Ag tests daily for six days upon their arrival.
The RTK-Ag test is the equivalent of our antigen rapid test (ART).
This includes self-administered tests on the second, fourth, and sixth days of their arrival in Malaysia, and a professionally administered ART test on the third and fifth days.
Additionally, all pre-departure tests must now be taken 48 hours before departure, instead of the 72 hours time frame previously stipulated.
Those coming into Singapore from Malaysia under the VTL will also face more tests – they will need to do self-administered ARTs on the second, fourth, fifth, and sixth days after arrival here, and undergo supervised ARTs on the third and seventh days.
Though if you ask family members who have been given the chance to reunite with one another about the swab assaults on their nostrils, I’m sure they won’t mind, as they’ll do anything it takes to see their loved ones again.
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Featured Image: Facebook (Ministry of Trade & Industry & Teckchua Seah)
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