In a statement, defence minister and senior minister for security Hishammuddin Hussein said the department would table the new recommendations to the National Security Council’s (MKN) Covid-19 technical committee.

Currently, diplomats working at Malaysian embassies, their staff and dependents, students at international universities with valid student visas and their dependents, and also guardians (limited to two people) accompanying students travelling, all do not need to apply for a travel pass.

Foreigners with long-term passes as well as petroleum and shipping workers who need to sign-on with foreign ships also do not need travel passes.

Hishammuddin added that from Oct 7, 2020 to Sept 10 this year, the immigration department received 356,510 applications – 208,509 were approved and 127,465 rejected. He said 6,697 applications were withdrawn by the applicants themselves and 13,000 were currently being processed.

According to the department, applications by those on its “red list” or with incomplete or fake documentation or documents that cannot be read would get rejected.

He reminded that applications through MyTravelPass must be made 14 days before travel at https://mtp.imi.gov.my.