Tourism and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri announced today that the land route between Johor and Singapore will only open once the Malaysian border is open.

She said the government is working on opening up the Malaysian side but has been unable to do so because of fluctuating cases. She also said she expects the route to be opened in the coming days or weeks. She didn't provide any details of how and when the border will be opened, however.

Shukri said the ministry is ready and always prepared to receive tourists from abroad.

According to Shukri, this will make it easier for Singaporeans to travel to Malaysia, boosting the country's tourist economy, which had been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak.

Johor Causeway linking Malaysia and Singapore 

Malaysia's tourism business has been facing challenges since the pandemic, which resulted in a significant decrease in the number of tourists visiting the country.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri has recently announced that the country's international border will be reopened soon. This will allow members of Keluarga Malaysia who had not seen each other for a long time to return home, especially for the Aidilfitri celebrations.

The land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) through the Johor Causeway and the Second Link opened in November, concurrent with the air VTL between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). 

However, land travel between Singapore and Johor Bahru is only available to long-term pass holders who work in both Singapore and Johor Bahru.