KUALA LUMPUR (June 10): As Covid-19 infections remain low in Malaysia, authorities are looking at easing border controls when the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) ends on Aug 31, starting with its neighbours which have successfully curbed the spread of the coronavirus.

Health Director-General (D-G) Datuk Noor Hisham Abdullah said the matter will be discussed with countries such as Brunei, Thailand and Singapore, to formulate a mutual agreement on the standard operating procedures (SOP) to be followed.

“RMCO starts from today June 10 until Aug 31, which means we have 83 days to open up all sectors and monitor the situation. If we can return to the norm and without any surge in cases, this is the balance that we want to achieve.

“At the moment, we are focusing on local transmissions, which seem under control now. If this goes on and all sectors go back to normal, the next step is to look into international border controls. We can look into ‘green bubble’ countries and have reciprocal SOP agreements with them,” he told reporters during his daily briefing on the Covid-19 situation in Putrajaya today.

The "green bubble” concept involves easing travel restrictions between two or more countries where local Covid-19 transmission and cases are low.

At press time, Thailand’s accumulated cases stood at 3,125, of which 95% had recovered. Brunei has not reported any new cases since May 7, while nearly all new daily cases in Singapore involved migrant workers.

It was reported that Singapore is in talks with several countries, such as Australia, China and South Korea, to establish green bubble agreements between them.

Apart from neighbouring countries, Dr Noor Hisham said the Government will also look at the top countries in the global Covid-19 recovery index.

Last week, Malaysia was ranked 12 in the newly-launched index that is aimed at quantifying and ranking the responses of 184 countries to the pandemic.

Topping the list is Australia with a score of 86.15, followed by Thailand (83.26), Taiwan (79.56), South Korea (79.49), Denmark (79.16), New Zealand (79.15), Slovenia (76.38), Iceland (76.13), Lithuania (75.96) and Latvia (74.59).

“Today, we are seeing the outcome [of the MCO], not only because of the efforts from the Ministry but from the public as well. The public is empowered to adhere to the SOP. We hope this SOP compliance will continue until Aug 31. If we see [further] improvements like what we’re seeing now, then we will consider looking into easing border controls,” he said.

Last Sunday, Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced the enforcement of the RMCO beginning today, with more restrictions eased - including domestic travel - except for areas placed under Enhanced MCO (EMCO).

Almost all social, religious, business and educational activities are allowed to resume in stages under strict SOPs during the RMCO.

Earlier today, the Education Ministry announced that all schools nationwide will reopen on June 24.

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