However,Kuala Lumpur’s vaccine procurement and distribution has been a silver lining of its pandemic woes.
Malaysia recorded 7343 new cases on Sunday,its lowest daily number since early July,and Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said it would take a major step in re-opening after hitting a key target vaccination target.
In a national address on Sunday,he said 90 per cent of adults had received two doses,announcing state borders would be re-opened to the fully vaccinated and inoculated Malaysians would be permitted to travel overseas again without a special exemption pass.
“I know Malaysians have been patient. This lifting of interstate travel restrictions will allow families to be reunited,” Ismail said.
Malaysians will still need to observe 14 days in quarantine when they return from abroad and protocols such as mask wearing and social distancing will still be policed,he said.
But the relaxing of internal border controls,first put in place in January,reflects an intention to treat the virus as an endemic disease. It follows the easing of other curbs in the past month,with schools re-opening,dining in returning for the fully vaccinated and public parks re-opening.
“Despite all the concessions that have been announced,the fact is that we have to live with the virus,” Ismail said.