IPOH: The state government welcomed the National Recovery Council's (NRC) proposal to fully reopen the country's borders as early as March 1, but it should be done with strict standard operating procedures (SOP).
Perak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Saarani Mohamad said reopening could help boost Perak's economic growth as well as the country's.
"Our border is only Pengkalan Hulu-Thailand. It was proposed by the NRC and we have no issue with that as it is also one of the ways to recover our economy.
"But we need to remember that today we recorded over 17,000 cases and we don't know how many actual cases there are in Thailand.
"Should Thailand record higher cases than us, and we decide to open our border — it is important to have a strict SOP," he said.
Saarani told reporters this after launching Ipoh City Council (MBI) Strategic Planning, Ipoh Low Carbon City and Walkable City 2030 at Kinta Riverfront Hotel here today
Yesterday, the (NRC) proposed the full reopening of the country's borders as early as March 1, without the need for mandatory quarantine.
However, its chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said travelers must undergo the Covid-19 test before their departure and upon arrival in Malaysia, as per the recommendation of the Health Ministry.
On Nov 11, Muhyiddin told a press conference that Malaysia's borders should be opened to international visitors by Jan 1 this year. The reopening, however, had been pushed back indefinitely following the spike in infections involving the Omicron variant.