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PETALING JAYA: Inconsistent instructions on the Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) pass for travel between Singapore and Malaysia have caused confusion among travelers.
Shameera Noordin, 32, said Sun she was puzzled by the contradictory directives from the Ministry of Health and the information on the website of the Department of Immigration.
When applying for the RGL pass for a business trip to Singapore, he was told by a government official that upon returning to Malaysia, he had to undergo a 14-day quarantine and bear the costs.
However, the Immigration website did not set any quarantine requirements for those under the RGL pass for a short trip to Singapore.
Instead, the website states that travelers returning to Malaysia will be subject to the “current health policy”.
Shameera said it did not provide further details, which can be confusing for travelers from Malaysia to Singapore.
However, the website mentions that the quarantine is necessary for travelers who test positive for Covid-19 and those awaiting test results.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Health Ministry said yesterday that RGL pass holders returning to Malaysia do not need to be quarantined unless they test positive for the virus.
Faced with these contradictory statements, Shameera said: “I need to know if I should be quarantined upon returning to Malaysia, as this involves money and time.”
Another traveler on frequent business trips between Malaysia and Singapore also expressed dissatisfaction with the confusion and wrote to a local newspaper.
“I really wanted to organize a trip to Singapore this week when I discovered a terrible anomaly in the implementation of the RGL.”
He said he understood that after travelers have spent 14 days or more in Singapore, they need to take an antigen or swab test upon arrival at KL International Airport (KLIA).
He said the Ministry of Health guidelines further state that those returning to Malaysia must observe the quarantine period.
“Annex 1B of the Ministry of Health guidelines dated August 10 in the ‘Return to Malaysia’ section states: ‘Subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine at the designated quarantine station at your own expense.'”
He asked KLIA immigration officials for clarification and was told that those under RGL do not need to comply with the 14-day quarantine requirement.
The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said the confusion should be addressed as soon as possible.
“Relevant approval bodies must also make application processes smooth and efficient by utilizing online tools and applications,” said MEF Executive Director Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan.
Attempts to obtain clarification on the matter from the Department of Immigration were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
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