Malaysia yet to implement Vehicle Entry Permit system for Singapore vehicles

Long lines of vehicles on the Causeway. PHOTO: ST FILE

KUALA LUMPUR - The Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for Singaporean vehicles entering Johor has yet to be implemented as Malaysia is still finalising technical details, The Straits Times understands from the country's transport ministry on Wednesday (May 4).

Although state news agency Bernama reported in January that Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai was planning a May launch, two ministry officials told The Straits Times that the minister had never outlined a start date.

"Minister hasn't announced (the) date," an aide said, adding that no timeline would be in place "until the system is ready".

Other reports had also cited road transport and Johor state officials as saying the VEP would be in place by June, with over 120,000 Singaporean vehicles having registered for the scheme.

In April, Datuk Seri Liow was reported saying that once details of the proposal had been ironed out, the government would announce the implementation date.

The move to impose the levy - reported to be RM20 (S$6.80) per trip - on Singapore-registered vehicles was supposed to be implemented on Aug 1 last year but has been repeatedly deferred.

The VEP will be effective on both routes into Malaysia - the Causeway and the Second Link.

Malaysian cars entering Singapore now pay S$35 in VEP per day on week days while motorcyclists are charged S$4.

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