Travel restrictions between Malaysia and Singapore look set to continue for at least the rest of 2020.

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced on Aug. 28 the extension of the recovery Movement Control Order (MCO) until the end of the year, Dec. 31, 2020.

According to The Star, Muhyiddin said in a special broadcast that he had made the decision due to the number of daily cases, as well as the recent emergence of new Covid-19 clusters.

The extension will allow existing standard operating procedures and health protocols to continue running.

Under the recovery MCO, these restrictions include, according to buro247:

• The use of the MySejahtera contact tracing app in all businesses, except in rural areas with unstable Internet connections.
• Mandatory use of face masks in crowded public areas.
• Mandatory 14 day quarantine for those returning to Malaysia from overseas.
• Limited capacity in recreational areas like theatres and indoor halls.
• Foreign tourists are not allowed to enter Malaysia.

No one exempt from quarantine rules

During the broadcast, Muhyiddin also mentioned that strict quarantine rules in "certain areas" will be enforced, due to the risk of super-spreaders, and he supports the Health Ministry's proposal to increase fines for rule-breakers by up to two or three times.

"No one is exempt from this rule, and any individual who violates it will be punished accordingly," said Muhyiddin.

Previously, a Malaysian minister was heavily criticised by the public for apparently flouting his home quarantine.

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Mohd Khairuddin Aman Razali returned from an overseas trip from Turkey on July 7, but attended Parliament before the mandatory 14 days were up.

He said he did "nothing wrong", but offered to donate his ministerial salary from March to August to the national Covid-19 support fund, according to the Malay Mail.

You can see the text of Muhyiddin's address below:

Top image from Muhyiddin Yassin's Facebook page.