DAP’s Damansara MP Tony Pua said the slow and bureaucratic process for these overlooked categories may jeopardise the livelihood of thousands of Malaysians.

The immigration department had announced exemption from having to apply for MTP for certain travellers from Oct 1. They include new and old students travelling abroad to study or sit for examinations, alongside two companions, attending to emergencies such as deaths or critical illness, and meeting spouses abroad if their marriages were registered overseas.

Those taking part in sports events, seminars, meetings and humanitarian aid missions are also exempted.

In a statement, Pua said that since his press conference on the MTP issue, he had received emails from Malaysians complaining about the immigration department’s slow process.

He said Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob should listen to the pleas of people who have been struggling to make ends meet, especially with the restrictions on the MTP criteria.

“There is absolutely no reason to restrict fully vaccinated Malaysians from travelling overseas as long as they are permitted to enter the destination countries.

“Those traveling overseas will still be subjected to the quarantine process upon their return to the country to prevent any infection from spreading locally.

“Phasing out MyTravelPass is a critical component of Malaysia’s road to economic recovery as it will play a significant role in reviving our ailing travel industry,” he said.