General travel to Brunei and New Zealand will be allowed, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced in a press conference on Friday (Aug. 21).

This means that travellers to Singapore who have remained in either of the two countries for at least 14 days will not be issued a Stay-Home Notice (SHN), though they must undergo a Covid-19 test upon arrival.

At a doorstop interview on Aug. 21, transport minister Ong Ye Kung elaborated on the rationale behind the decision.

A "very very low risk"

Lifting of border restrictions to travellers from Brunei and New Zealand is a "very very low risk", Ong said.

This is due to the fact that the incidence of Covid-19 in both countries is "well below 0.1 infections per 100,000 population", which Ong said was comparable to Singapore's figure of 0.06.

Furthermore, as they are both small countries, "we are really not looking at very big numbers" of inbound travellers.

This made the lifting of restrictions a "very very low risk that we can manage".

Ong also explained that the decision was made in consultation with medical experts, who had "a lot of confidence" in the two countries that were chosen.

Unilateral arrangement for now

The new arrangements for travellers arriving in Singapore are, at the moment, unilateral.

This means that those countries may not have made similar arrangements for travellers from Singapore.

"Of course I wish they will reciprocate", Ong said.

Elaborating on this arrangement, Ong also pointed to Singapore's historical record of making unilateral arrangements such as becoming a free port, and removing tariffs to facilitate international trade.

Ong said:

"So it is really an invitation to the world for a small economy, open economy like ours. 'You're invited. We're open for business. You're invited to bring business activities [and] opportunities to Singapore', and that has always been our posture."

Details of the arrangement for travellers from Brunei and New Zealand

With the lifting of restrictions, travellers who have remained in either of the two countries for at least 14 days will be allowed to enter Singapore, and will not be issued a Stay-Home Notice (SHN), but must undergo a Covid-19 test upon arrival.

Ong said that Singapore will "bubble wrap" inbound travellers until their test results are ready.

If they test negative, they will be allowed to move around freely.

Prior to their arrival, travellers must also apply for an Air Travel Pass (ATP) between seven and 30 days before their intended date of entry into Singapore.

Ong explained that this requirement "gives us the flexibility that should there be an unfortunate turn in events", such as a change in the epidemic situation in the two countries, "we can quickly react".

Travellers will also be responsible for their medical bills if they require Covid-19 medical treatment here, MOH said.

Top image screenshot via footage from MOT