BY Azlan Othman

The operating time for Brunei Darussalam’s land control posts will be extended by two hours from 6am to 8pm, effective September 15.

A complete COVID-19 vaccination will no longer be an entry or exit requirement for Brunei.

This is based on the assessment that travel no longer has significant impact to the spread of infection in the country due to Brunei’s high immunity rate following high COVID-19 vaccination rates and high proportion of residents have been infected by the virus.

This was said by Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof at a weekly press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the Sultanate.

Meanwhile, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah said about 350,000 people have crossed the country’s land border since it was opened on August 1.

Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi also said citizens and residents of the Sultanate as well as foreigners entering the country are no longer required to complete the Arrival Declaration Form (ADF).

However, those exiting the country as well as foreigners who are entering the Sultanate are still required to possess valid travel insurance that includes COVID19 treatment coverage.

Meanwhile, Bruneians exiting the country are also required to register their outbound travel information on the MFA e-Register through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website.

It is hoped that this will encourage a more comfortable life in the new normal and allow for the return to pre-pandemic COVID-19 state. However, precautionary measures to prevent any infectious diseases such as COVID-19 are the social responsibility of all.

The public is advised to continue general preventive measures at all times such as avoiding crowded areas especially if there is no requirement to be in the area and washing hands or using hand sanitiser regularly.

This also includes the responsibility of parents and guardians in ensuring that their children are well to attend school.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin