Delicate balancing act for Singapore, Malaysia as borders finally reopen

SINGAPORE currently allows quarantine-free travel for fully-vaccinated people from nearly 2 dozen countries under its growing Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme, as the Republic looks to gradually reopen itself to the rest of the world amid the pandemic and reclaim its status as an international aviation hub.

But it is the upcoming VTL with neighbouring Malaysia - via both air and land - that has already captured the imagination of many people from both sides. From Monday (Nov 29), travellers can fly on designated services between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It is also widely expected that the land borders could also reopen on or around the same date, with an official announcement on the exact launch date and the implementation details expected very soon.

Before the pandemic struck in the first quarter of 2020, it was inconceivable that general travel between Singapore and Malaysia would be off the cards. After all, the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route was once the busiest international air route in the world, with around 40 daily flights and an average of 7,000 arrivals every day at Changi. The Woodlands Causeway and the Tuas Second Link collectively served more than 400,000 travellers a day. As things stand, it is estimated that over 100,000 Malaysians are believed to still be stuck in Singapore, unable to return home due to the strict travel restrictions.