According to Prime Minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim, his country will grant visa-free entry to citizens of China and India for stays of up to 30 days starting from December 1.
On Sunday, during a speech at his People’s Justice Party congress, the Prime Minister made the announcement. However, he did not say that for how long the visa exemption would be applicable.
China and India are this Southeast Asian country’s fourth and fifth-largest source markets, respectively.
Malaysia recorded 9.16 million tourist arrivals between January and June 2023, with 498,540 from China and 283,885 from India, according to a government data.
Boost for tourism sector
That compared to 1.5 million arrivals from China and 354,486 from India during the same period of 2019, before the Covid19.
The announcement follows similar measures implemented by neighbouring Thailand to boost its vital tourism sector and boost its sluggish economy, with Chinese and Indian nationals among those exempted in 2023. Currently, to enter Malaysia, Chinese and Indian nationals must apply for visas.