Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced the country’s full reopening and quarantine-free travel for international travellers on April 1.

Malaysia has closed its borders since March 2020 and has maintained some of the tightest restrictions in Asia in order to keep the coronavirus out of its door, but it also kept foreigners out and returning residents must undergo necessary quarantine.

As more countries in Asia reopen like Thailand, Cambodia, Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, Malaysia follows suit and will do away without quarantine as well as COVID-19 tests before departure and after arrival.

Malaysia also entered travel agreements with other countries including Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia were in the works in addition to one with Singapore announced last year. This will be beneficial to Malaysians who were barred from travelling for more than a year.

Malaysians will also see other COVID-19 restrictions to ease such as business operating hours, gatherings, social distancing and interstate travel.