KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 20): Malaysia is leading the agenda to plan and implement single visa for tourists as the chair of Asean this year, Utusan Malaysia reported on Monday, citing Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

The effort is in line with the concept of integration and togetherness under this year’s theme that will see all member countries work to accelerate mutual economic growth, he was reported as saying by Utusan on its online portal.

“Many people come to Malaysia, and then they want to go to Singapore or Thailand, or they come to Malaysia from Thailand,” Mohamad  was quoted as saying. “However, there are several hurdles, all of them involving administrative issues.”

The idea for a common visa was first proposed by former Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin in 2024, originally conceived to allow entry into the six mainland Asean countries — Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.

The proposal by Thailand, which is highly dependent on tourism for economic growth, would mirror the European Union’s visa programme that allows stay of up to 90 days in 29 countries and free cross-border movements within the so-called Schengen area.

Malaysia also relies on tourism for a large chunk of its foreign exchange income and counts on rapidly-growing medical tourists who flocked in for treatments such as hip replacements at a fraction of cost of such services offered in Western countries.