KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 1 — The government has been urged to set a definite timeline for the reopening of the country’s borders to restore the various economic activities, including trade, industry, investment and tourism.

National Recovery Council (MPN) chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the council had recommended for the government to open the country’s borders in stages starting last month.

"MPN has proposed that the country’s borders be opened in stages as soon as possible, and we proposed in January, but it has not been opened yet. The government must have a definite timeline, one month, two months (to open the border).

"We cannot close (the border) all the time, the economic recovery process will not happen. Now there is (economic recovery process), but it is limited and we will not succeed,” he told reporters after attending a Chinese New Year reception organised by Gerakan here today.

The MPN had previously proposed that the country’s borders be opened to international visitors by January 1 this year.

According to Muhyiddin, the border opening can be done in stages by taking into account certain standard operating procedures (SOP), including quarantine and Covid-19 screening as a precautionary measure, following the spread of the Omicron variant. — Bernama