[Malaysia is fully reopening its borders on Apr 1 as it begins to transition to a COVID-19 endemic phase. A bus carrying passengers crosses the Causeway linking Singapore and Malaysia on Nov 29, 2021. (Photo by=AFP/Vincent Thian)]

SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to start working towards resuming full air and land travel for vaccinated people, said Singapore Health Minister Ong Ye Kung on Wednesday (Mar 23).
Mr. Ong is in Kuala Lumpur for a working visit at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Khairy Jamaluddin, CNA reported.
 
"We had a fruitful and frank discussion. We agreed that Singapore and Malaysia enjoy excellent and longstanding bilateral relations, our peoples have many linkages and ties, but they were all disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic," said Mr Ong in a Facebook post. "We also agreed that the COVID-19 situation has stabilized and is improving in both countries, and we should now work towards the full resumption of air and land travel for vaccinated persons." Mr. Ong added that a full resumption of air and land travel for vaccinated people would help rebuild people-to-people connections that were disrupted by COVID-19.
 
Singapore first launched land and air vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) with Malaysia in November last year, after nearly two years of being shut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the land VTL, travelers are able to commute between Singapore and Johor Bahru by taking designated bus services across the Causeway. After their meeting on Wednesday, Mr. Khairy tweeted: "Malaysia & Singapore reconnecting & Reopening Safely.