The Malaysian Government recently announced that the country will re-open its borders for international travelers. Fully-vaccinated travelers are no longer required to be in quarantine for a stipulated period. However, they need to take an RT-PCR test at least two days before the quarantine and a rapid test (RTK) within 24 hours of arrival.
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Unvaccinated travelers will have to go through a 5 day quarantine period. They must also follow all the local Covid-19 related protocols. They may be refused entry in certain public places like restaurants and shopping malls.
While addressing reporters during a press conference, Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, commented, ‘I believe this has been long-awaited by the people. This announcement will also boost the economy as a whole, in particular the tourism industry that has been badly affected by the pandemic.’
According to the Prime Minister, this move is a part of a transition to the endemic phase, where we will be required to live with the virus. Masks are still mandatory during the transition phase. International travelers are no longer required to apply for MyTravelPass to visit Malaysia.
Education Malaysia Global Services is currently aiding international students to pursue higher studies in Malaysia. It is also working towards securing a place among the top ten study destinations in the world. The decision to reopen Malaysian borders for international travelers is going to speed up the process. According to QS world university rankings, currently, there are around 32 programs offered by Malaysian universities that rank among the top 100 in the world offering world-class academic degrees.
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As per Mohd Radzlan, CEO of EMGS, ‘Malaysia has 435 state-of-the-art higher education institutions across the country that have a huge capacity to entertain international students. Malaysia offers diverse culture, affordable living, a secure environment, and a dynamic lifestyle to its international students.
Because of reasons like these, the reopening of the Malaysian border was warmly welcomed by renowned individuals in the international higher education community such as Cecilia Pereira-Yates, managing director of GB8.
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During her interaction with reporters, she commented that ‘Over two years of border closure has heightened the importance of being present and visible in the market. Malaysia is ready to welcome the sector back to some form of new normal.’
EMGs reported that there has been an increase in the number of Ph.D. applications in the last 24 months, reaching around 11,661 in 2021. However, Rozilini M. Fernandez-Chung, Associate professor at the School of Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, is of the view that these agencies must continue to work towards remaining attractive to international students. This means removing cumbersome practices and ensuring transparency in implementing the policies.
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