MALAYSIA should consider opening its borders to tourists and business travellers who have been vaccinated for Covid-19, said Rajiv Rishyakaran.

The Bukit Gasing assemblyman said this measure can help revive the battered tourism industry and assist in the economic recovery.

Some countries have reopened their borders to vaccinated travellers, including allowing them to skip the quarantine.

“Malaysia could revive and rejuvenate its tourism and airline industries if we capitalise on this opportunity,” he said in a statement today.

“If we are the first Asian country to open up our borders, we will be able to capture all the tourists who wish to travel after being in lockdown for so long.

“With the meeting, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) sector allowed to reopen, this is also an opportunity to attract business travellers and revitalise the country’s international trade.”

Tourism is the third biggest contributor to the GDP, after manufacturing and commodities.

In 2018, tourism contributed RM94.5 billion, or 5.9% of the country’s GDP.

Unfortunately, he said, the industry recorded massive losses, debt restructuring, layoffs, bailouts and even bankruptcy last year because of the pandemic.

There are already discussions among major airline players on the implementation of a health travel pass or a vaccination passport, he said.

He added that the countries that have opened their borders required a vaccination passport and some of them required a negative PCR test from 72 hours before.

“All we need to do is emulate, and maybe refine, the strategies and safety measures implemented by these countries, and this needs to be done immediately to boost our economy.”

Malaysia’s borders have remained closed since March last year as a measure to curb the spread of Covid-19. – March 1, 2021.