Citing the strong vaccination rate, the former prime minister told the Dewan Rakyat today the council had called for the country’s borders to be reopened in early March to boost sectors such as tourism and trade.

“I don’t see what is the excuse for the delay as other countries with lower vaccination rates have already reopened their borders,” he said while debating the King’s address.

On Feb 8, Muhyiddin (Bersatu-Pagoh) said Malaysia’s borders ought to be reopened by March 1 without mandatory quarantine as the nation had achieved high vaccination rates and lower hospital admissions.

While he did not provide any dates, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said last week  the country’s borders would be reopened in time for the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations in May.

Muhyiddin noted how research houses such as the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research had said the country’s economic revival was picking up steam.

He said the country had attracted more than RM220 billion in approved investments for the manufacturing and services sectors last year.

The industrial production index and exports had also showed positive signs throughout 2021, he said.

Muhyiddin said he expected it would take another “two to three years” for the economy to completely recover from the economic effects brought by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Sectors linked to tourism, such as hotels and transport, have yet to recover because we have not yet reopened our borders to international tourists,” he said.

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