Starting next month, fully vaccinated travelers will no longer be required to undergo quarantine after entering Malaysia but must take a PCR test two days before traveling and within 24 hours of their arrival.

The requirement for foreigners to apply to enter Malaysia using the MyTravelPass application will also be lifted. Instead, they only need to download and activate the MySejahtera contact tracing app and fill out a pre-departure form in the app.

The tourism-reliant Southeast Asian country, known for its white-sand beaches and lush rainforests, has maintained some of the tightest entry requirements in Asia to try to contain coronavirus outbreaks, with most foreign nationals barred from entry and returning Malaysians required to undergo quarantine.

According to Prime Minister Yaakob, the decision to reopen was the result of the country’s high vaccination rate, low hospital bed usage by COVID-19 patients and small percentage of serious cases. About 80 percent of the country’s 32 million residents have been fully vaccinated.

The Southeast Asian country will begin a transition to the endemic phase of COVID-19 beginning April 1. Restrictions on business operating hours, gatherings, social distancing and interstate travel will also be eased.