Anyone entering Malaysia subjected to the same conditions: Malaysian PM

A passenger is at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia. Photo: Xinhua/VNA

Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on January 4 said that Malaysia does not discriminate against any country in conducting COVID-19 checks on inbound travellers as its priority is the health and safety of the people.

"Anyone entering (Malaysia) should be monitored and subjected to the same conditions," he said at a press conference after chairing a cabinet meeting. He added that the country’s immigration department has also tightened controls at its entry points following reports of a surge in COVID-19 cases in certain countries.

He emphasised that tourism and economic matters can not take precedence over the country’s interests in preventing the spread of any epidemic including COVID-19.

Regarding Chinese tourists to Malaysia, he said that in December 2022, 53,000 Chinese visited Malaysia but the country did not see any jump in COVID-19 infections.

At the press conference, the PM also warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has not ended either in Malaysia or in the world.

He called on people in Malaysia to get booster shots as until now, only 49% of its population have received the first booster shot, leaving six million doses still in stock./.