Malaysians question Muhyiddin’s plan to reopen borders amid Omicron surge

National Recovery Council head’s recommendation to fully reopen to international tourists by March raises eyebrows just a day after minister warned of a surge in infections

Some experts warn the move prioritises the economy over public health, while sceptical members of the public suggest a political motive

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Motorists wait at a traffic light in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: EPA

Published: 8:00am, 9 Feb 2022Updated: 8:27am, 9 Feb 2022

Mixed signals from the Malaysian government over its plans to reopen borders and minimise restrictions amid an increase in Omicron cases has led the public and some experts to question whether it is prioritising the economy over public health.

Muhyiddin Yassin, a former prime minister who heads the National Recovery Council (NRC) tasked with guiding the country out of the Covid-19 pandemic, on Tuesday said a full reopening of borders to international tourists could take place by March to accelerate the economic recovery.

To mitigate risks, Muhyiddin – the immediate predecessor to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob – suggested the retention of departure and on-arrival tests.

“To open selectively, Omicron is now all over the world, so we can’t pick and choose [which countries to open up to],” said Muhyiddin, who added that the sentiment was shared by Khairy Jamaluddin, the health minister who a day earlier had warned of a surge in cases.

The NRC’s recommendation, which must be approved by Ismail Sabri’s Cabinet, was based on the country’s high vaccination rate, Muhyiddin said. Some 98 per cent of adults in the country of 33 million people have thus far received at least two doses of a vaccine, while 53 per cent have received an additional booster.

Muhyiddin also waved off suggestions of a reimposition of blanket lockdowns if the Omicron surge worsened, saying doing so would severely hurt the economy.