Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's Telephone Call with Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, 26 June 2020

On 26 June 2020, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke with Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin to discuss the gradual and phased resumption of cross-border travel between Singapore and Malaysia.

Prime Minister Lee reiterated Singapore’s commitment to address the needs of Singaporeans and Malaysians who were previously commuting between both countries.  Prime Minister Lee and Prime Minister Muhyiddin agreed that any bilateral arrangement would have to include mutually agreed public health protocols, to preserve the public health and safety of citizens on both sides, while taking into account the medical resources available in both countries.

During their discussion, Prime Minister Lee and Prime Minister Muhyiddin agreed to establish a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and a Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) to address the needs of different groups of cross-border travellers.

The RGL will facilitate cross-border travel for essential business and official purposes between both countries.  Travellers would have to adhere to a set of COVID-19 prevention and public health measures, which are under discussion and will have to be mutually agreed upon by both countries.

The PCA will allow Singapore and Malaysia residents who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to periodically return to their home countries for short-term home leave.  They will be able to return home for leave after spending at least three consecutive months in their country of work, and they will be allowed to re-enter their country of work after their home leave.

Prime Minister Lee and Prime Minister Muhyiddin have tasked their officials to work expeditiously on the operational details of the RGL and PCA, and to continue discussions on other proposals to gradually facilitate more cross-border movement of people, so as to ensure a stable recovery by both Singapore and Malaysia from the COVID-19 situation.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

27 JUNE 2020