First Meeting of the Singapore-Malaysia Joint Working Group for COVID-19

1.     Singapore and Malaysia have agreed on the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Singapore-Malaysia Joint Working Group (JWG) to further enhance cooperation to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19. The JWG will be co-led by the deputy health ministers of both countries.

2.     The first JWG meeting held in Johor Bahru on 25 February 2020 was attended by senior government officials from Singapore and Malaysia.

3.     Dr Benjamin Koh, Deputy Secretary (Development) from the Ministry of Health Singapore and Dato’ Dr Chong Chee Kheong, Deputy Director General of Health (Public Health) from the Ministry of Health Malaysia led their respective delegations.

4.     At the meeting, both countries at the technical level updated each other on the COVID-19 situations in their respective countries, shared existing screening protocols at the two land borders, and began discussion on joint-border cooperation. Delegates also visited the health screening facilities at Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johor Bahru.

5.     The JWG agreed to continue entry screening at both countries and align health screening protocols at the land borders; exchange information on clinical management of patients between technical experts; activate a bilateral Field Epidemiology Training Network to share surveillance data; and exchange information such as national advisories and public messaging on COVID-19.

6.     Both countries reaffirmed the importance of working closely together against the ongoing outbreak under the newly formed JWG.

7.     The second meeting of the JWG is planned in March 2020.

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
26 FEBRUARY 2020