IPOH, Sept 22 — The Perak government is striving earnestly to have a COVID-19 travel bubble to the state’s popular resort of Pangkor, by November at the latest.
Perak Housing, Local Government and Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Nolee Ashilin Mohammed Radzi said today the state government is working with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC) to reopen the island to domestic tourists.
“I was informed by MOTAC that Pangkor is one of the destinations for a travel bubble but the island has to fulfil several conditions. We are working with the ministry to meet these requirements and get the approval of the National Security Council (MKN) for the travel bubble,” she told reporters after a meeting of the State Executive Council at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan here.
She explained that the requirements included the readiness of the tourism players on the island, the COVID-19 vaccination status as well as control measures at the entry points to avoid congestion during the swab tests.
“The state government is trying its best to have the island reopened for a travel bubble by November at the latest. Nevertheless, we are trying to expedite the reopening if that is possible,’ she said.
Travellers to Pangkor have to get to Lumut by road before taking a ferry across to the island. Lumut is about 160 km south of Penang and 220 km northwest of Kuala Lumpur.
