The second Malaysia-Singapore Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting was held via video conference on 24 March 2020. The meeting was co-chaired by YB Dato’ Dr. Haji Noor Azmi Ghazali, Deputy Minister of Health I for Malaysia, with his counterpart H.E. Dr. Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health for Singapore.
At the meeting, both countries updated on the COVID-19 situations in their respective countries, shared existing temperature screening procedures at land and sea checkpoints, and discussed a set of protocols for the transfer of symptomatic travellers detected at entry screening back across the land and sea checkpoints between Malaysia and Singapore.
The JWG agreed to continue entry screenings by both countries, align temperature screening protocols by applying the same temperature cut-off (>37.5°C) for febrile travellers, and implement reciprocal arrangements for the transfer of symptomatic travellers detected at entry screening back across the land and sea checkpoints.
The co-chairs tasked the senior officials of the JWG to coordinate the implementation of these initiatives, which would serve as a comprehensive package to enhance joint border screening at both the land and sea borders connecting Malaysia and Singapore.
The JWG acknowledged the recent establishment of the Malaysia-Singapore Special Working Committee (SWC) on COVID-19 to discuss a joint plan to ensure the safe and sustainable movement of people, goods and services between both countries during Malaysia’s Movement Control Order. The JWG agreed to continue health discussions specific to these matters separately under the SWC.
The third meeting of the JWG is planned for April 2020.
