Travel to Singapore from Malaysia: Private Vehicles Permitted from April
(Photo Credit: Reuters)
In another big step towards pre-COVID-19 normalcy, the Malaysian government and our Singaporean counterparts have announced plans to open the borders up to civilian vehicles.
“Kandang” is a term commonly used to describe the Woodlands Checkpoint in the morning, as Malaysians patiently queue up on their motorcycles, wheel to wheel, braving the humidity and fatigue as they make their way into Singapore for work.
This exhausting chore has almost become an endearing memory in the two years since the Malaysia-Singapore borders closed shut on private vehicles. You’ll be glad to know that you’ll soon be able to re-enter the “kandang” from April 1st onwards as announced in a joint statement between Prime Ministers Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Lee Hsien Loong last Thursday, March 24th.
So what do you need?
Gone are the days of pre-departure and on-arrival testing. All you need to present when crossing the border are:
- Valid travel documentation (Passport, Vehicle Entry Permit)
- Submit your digital vaccination certificate to the Vaccination Check Portal
- Complete your SG Arrival Card within 3 days upon arriving at the checkpoints
But be warned: only those who are fully vaccinated or unvaccinated children below 12 years old are allowed to enter Singapore soil. The checkpoints are also expected to be jammed up as many people are eager to enter the Lion City and vice versa, so please do not travel if you have no strong reason to, or you may end up getting stuck in long traffic queues!
This is a very exciting development for both Malaysians and Singaporeans, and it is certainly a positive indicator that things are finally looking up for us and the world in general. However, the threat of COVID-19 is still present, so please do take the necessary precautions.
