PUTRAJAYA: The rise in the number of Covid-19 cases in many parts of the world have thwarted the government's initial plan to set-up travel bubble between Malaysia and other countries around the region.
Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said at the moment, there were no countries around the world that could declare themselves as Covid-19 green zones.
Malaysia, said Ismail Sabri, previously wanted to establish travel bubble with New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea that were previously considered as Covid-19 green zone countries.
"I recently learned that South Korea has re-introduce the movement control order (after the country recorded new Covid-19 cases among its people). A similar situation happened in New Zealand.
"In fact the travel bubble between New Zealand and Australia, that was touted to be the first of its kind in the world during this global pandemic, has been called off," he told reporters here today.
He was asked to comment on the progress of the discussion between Malaysia and other countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Brunei to set-up travel bubble.
"As of now, Malaysia is not ready to open our borders to tourists from other countries.
"Even between Malaysia and Singapore, we only allowed people from two categories (to travel) including our citizens who had been stranded in Singapore due to the pandemic.
"The other category is for those (from Singapore) who are permitted to enter Malaysia for business-to-business purposes such as attending meetings in Kuala Lumpur," he said.
Ismail Sabri reiterated that the government would continue to intensify enforcement along the country's border in the effort to prevent imported Covid-19 cases into Malaysia.
"Opening our border to tourists from other countries is the last thing that we will looked into.
"Apart from request from restaurant workers from Thailand and domestic workers from Indonesia (to enter the country), we also received a request from AirAsia (to allow commercial air travel).
"At the moment, Malaysia will not grant approval to any of the requests," he said.
Earlier at the Malaysia Armed Forces Defence College (MAFDC) graduation ceremony, Ismail Sabri said the global security landscape had become more complex following the emergence of non-traditional threats including Covid-19.
Such challenges, he said, demanded the leadership in the military institution to evolve in tandem with technological advancement and evolution of human capital.
Ismail Sabri said leadership of military institution must be highly knowledgeable, skilled and possess the correct attitude to lead a professional, sophisticated and versatile military force.
"The Malaysian Armed Forces are fully aware of the complexities and uncertainties of the global security landscape.
"Many non-traditional threats loom and threaten the security of Malaysia such as terrorism, illegal immigration, maritime piracy, cross-border illegal activities and the current Covid-19 pandemic.
"We also acknowledge that international terrorism is an existential threat, and it has been pressed upon the world that the new challenge confronting the 21th century is from alienated individuals and illegal military organisations," he said.