SINGAPORE (Mar 20): Singapore and Malaysia will work together to coordinate both countries’ arrangements to safeguard the health of their citizens, while minimising disruptions to the companies, workers and citizens on both sides of the Causeway.
In a press statement on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean had spoken with Malaysian Senior Minister and Minister of Defence Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob over the telephone on March 19.
The two senior ministers agreed that Malaysians with Singapore work permits will continue to work in Singapore – with appropriate health screening and suitable accommodation arrangements – amid Malaysia’s two-week-long movement control order which took effect on March 18.
Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri also said that Malaysia will facilitate the smooth transport of food across the land checkpoints.
In addition, both sides will facilitate the bilateral transport of commercial goods across the land checkpoints.
Both sides also agreed to establish three working groups under the Special Working Committee on Covid-19, which both senior ministers are chairing.
The working groups will coordinate the movement of people, movement of goods, and daily operational issues at the land checkpoints.
Before the lockdown, an estimated 300,000 people living in Malaysia commute across the border to Singapore every day.
