PETALING JAYA,Mar 4: Business travel into the country looks set to resume soon with the launch of the Malaysia Safe Travel portal today, which is designed to facilitate the arrival of such visitors.
The service by the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) provides information and advisory services to prospective visitors and caters to both long and short-term entrants.
In a statement, Mida said the portal was an integral part of a one-stop centre (OSC) initiative implemented by the government in October, established to expedite the entry of those looking to do business in Malaysia.
Short-term visitors must apply online 14 days before their planned departure and will be categorised similar to those without passes looking to stay in the country for less than two weeks.
They include:
- Potential investors seeking to do business in Malaysia;
- Existing investors, namely business owners, board members, executives and associates of companies in Malaysia (without an employment pass);
- Business customers for product qualification and validation before commercial production; and,
- Technical experts for ad hoc emergency cases to serve single or multiple customers across Malaysia.
Short-term travellers may be exempted from mandatory quarantine pending approval by the OSC committee.
Long-term visitors include those who hold valid passes and intend to stay longer than two weeks.
They include:
- New/existing expatriates stranded abroad, namely active holders of an employment pass or resident pass for talent;
- New/existing foreign technical experts stranded abroad with professional visit passes to serve multiple customers across Malaysia;
- Frequent foreign business travellers (exit & return), including regional establishments, regional operations and principal hub representatives;
- Permanent resident pass holders;
- Malaysia My Second Home social visit pass holders;
- Frequent Malaysian business travellers (exit & return); and,
- Social visit pass holders.
Long-term business travellers will be subject to quarantine according to the health ministry’s guidelines, and are advised to obtain the necessary visas from their local Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate-general’s office.
The OSC is represented by the international trade and industry ministry, the health ministry, the Immigration Department and Mida.
