The chamber’s chief executive, Siobhan Das, said the ban would affect expatriates holding valid work permits such as employment passes and professional visitor passes.

“Within its membership, these categories will severely affect the immediate operations of some of the country’s largest investors,” she said.

He said electrical and electronics companies would be denied access to senior executives and critical technical talent “needed to ensure Malaysian-based entities are able to meet global supply chain demands”.

She said the ban would result in the immediate loss of millions of dollars in business and trade.

With no details on how long it would be in place, Siobhan fears the ban would have a long-term impact on Malaysia as a reliable place for doing business.

“While Malaysia has seen recent investments come to its shores, this new ban undermines the ability of the companies to use needed specialists to set up, instal and certify new equipment needed for starting or expanding operations,” she said.

Others who would be affected are “global decision-making personnel who work out of hubs” in Malaysia.

She said Amcham understood the need to impose travel restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19, but believes there needs to be a carefully planned approach, with advance and clear notice given to the public and business community.

The application of the ban on citizenship, instead of the traveller’s current location, had also caused tremendous confusion within the business community as it did not have a direct correlation to the actual threat of a further spread of the virus, she said.