Bilateral talks for reopening S’pore-M’sia border to be held once Malaysia’s senior ministers gives green light to SOP 

Johor Bahru — The standard operating procedures (SOP) proposed by the state government for reopening the border between Malaysia and Singapore has been approved by the technical committee in charge of its oversight. 

Now, it is up to Malaysia’s senior ministers to say yes.

According to the Chief Minister of Johor, Datuk Hasni Mohammad, bilateral talks will be held once the senior ministers agree to the proposed SOP.

The Menteri Besar was quoted in The Star on Monday (Oct 4) as saying, “The technical committee has agreed to the SOP we suggested, and now we are waiting to get a nod from senior ministers.

The Health Ministry would decide on a date for the proposal to be presented to the senior ministers and once they accepted it, we could begin talks with Singapore.”

He made these remarks at a press conference after launching the Johor Tourism Interchange and opening ceremony of the Virtual Majestic Johor Week 2021.

When a journalist asked whether the number of cases in Singapore would impact the border’s reopening, he replied in the negative.

On Sept 23, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said that the government will continue negotiations with authorities in Singapore for the reopening of the border at Johor.

The reopening will be a gradual one, dependent on the pandemic situation on both sides, he said, during a ministerial reply to the Royal Address in parliament.

“I understand that recently our Health Minister (Khairy Jamaluddin) had a telephone discussion with his Singapore counterpart Ong Ye Kung on the proposed reopening of the Malaysia-Singapore border. We pray and hope this will be resolved as soon as possible,” he said.

Mr Saifuddin pointed out that since the pandemic is still ongoing in both countries, strict health regulations regarding cross-border movements will need to continue to be implemented.

He said that the “health and safety of the people, in addition to the current COVID-19 situation in both Malaysia and Singapore” is the main issue to be considered in negotiations, according to a CNA report. /TISG

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