At the end of August, Batam - Singapore Economic and Tourism Route Will be Opened Gradually

Editor: Putri Larasati Anggiawan

TRIBUNBATAM.id, BATAM - Good news for Batam and Riau Islands residents.

At the end of August 2020, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan agreed to follow up on the gradual opening of economic, tourism and social routes at the border of the two countries.

The policy, which is termed the Green Lane Reciprocal will reopen access after more than five months of closure.

Batam, Tanjungpinang, two main cities on the closest Indonesia-Singapore border, are included in this Green Lane Reciprocal scenario.

Besides meeting with Vivian, on the same day, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was also treated to lunch by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Palace, Orchad area, Singapore.

Lee Hsien and Retno discussed strengthening cooperation to address the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, and encouraging further bilateral discussions between officials.

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Retno has been in Singapore since Monday (24/8/2020).

This official trip, which ends Wednesday (26/8) today, is to fulfill the invitation from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, early July.

This is Retno's first overseas trip to a neighboring country, five months after the pandemic.

Simultaneously with the meeting of the two ministers, the tourist authorities and government agencies of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) also held a webinar for the Travel Industry.

The webinar, which was held from 10.00 WIB to 12.00 WIB, was attended by around 890 participants from tourism actors, government, travel agents, hotels, and F&B.

Retno's talks with her colleagues in Singapore, only two weeks apart, after Malaysia and Singapore, also finalized the scenario, a fast lane for workers, border crossers (commuters) of the two countries.

Just to note, the fourth quarter of this year, the Singapore government is still limiting the visits of foreign nationals, including those from Indonesia from all entry routes; air, sea and land via Malaysia.

Since last July, Singapore has provided a green lane, or fas lane, for Chinese citizens, and its state authorities, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

1. Every traveler is required to wear a magnetic sensor that detects when traveling and is free of Covid-19 based on the PCR-swab test.

2. This August, Singapore began to facilitate visits from two peer countries, Brunei Darussalam and New Zealand.

3. At the end of August, the Singapore and Malaysia border crossing authorities have intensified the details of the opening of the border between the two countries; for official and scheduled business visits and excursions through accredited agencies.

4. Now the stage for detailed talks on Malaysia and Singapore, start discussing workers and daily commutes by workers.

5. There is no information regarding the fate of border crossers (daily commutes by workers) from Indonesia, who go by sea, Batam, Tanjungpinang or Karimun. (zil)

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