SINGAPORE, May 2 (CNA) - A cross-border travel scheme facilitating trips between Malaysia and Singapore for compassionate reasons such as death and visits to loved ones who are critically ill is set to kick off on May 17.

This was confirmed in a joint statement on Sunday (May 2) by Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and his Malaysian counterpart Hishammuddin Hussein, following the latter’s two-day official visit to Singapore.

The two ministers agreed during the visit to work towards the resumption of essential cross-border travel in a gradual and safe manner, the statement said.