KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Singapore have agreed to implement Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) travel, allowing citizens from either side of the Johor Strait to cross the border for work or official purposes, beginning Aug 10.
Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said the two schemes are meant to address the needs of different groups of cross-border travellers in both countries.
"The RGL scheme will enable cross-border travels for essential business and official purposes between both countries.
"Eligible travellers will have to abide by prevailing Covid-19 prevention and public health measures mutually agreed upon by both countries, including undergoing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab tests.
"They will also be expected to submit to the relevant authorities of the receiving country a controlled itinerary and adhere to this controlled itinerary during their visit," they said in a joint statement.
For the PCA scheme, they said it would allow Singapore and Malaysia residents, who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country, to enter that country for work.
"After at least three consecutive months in their country of work, they may return to their home country for short-term home leave, and thereafter, re-enter their country of work to continue working for at least another three consecutive months.
"These travellers will also have to abide by the prevailing Covid-19 prevention and public health measures mutually agreed on by both countries," they said.
On the date to roll out the RGL and PCA schemes, the two ministers said officials of both countries are "working expeditiously" towards the targeted implementation date in Aug.
"This will give the opportunity for the relevant agencies of both governments to continue their consultation to finalise the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) of the two initiatives."
Hishammuddin and Balakrishnan said recognising the keen interest of residents in Malaysia and Singapore, and to facilitate smooth cross-border flows, the two governments had agreed to publish the requirements, health protocols, and application process involved for entry and exit into Malaysia and Singapore, 10 days prior to their implementation of the RGL and PCA.
Malaysia and Singapore have also agreed to develop other appropriate schemes for the cross-border movement of people, including a daily cross-border commuting proposal for work purposes for travellers from both countries, while taking into account the required health protocols and available medical resources in both countries to ensure the safety of the citizens of both sides, they said.
"This will allow both sides to progressively restore cross-border people-to-people interaction and economic exchanges."
In June, it was reported that there were 20,000 Malaysians quarantined in Singapore and 250,000 people travelled between the two countries each day.