GELANG PATAH - Singapore vehicles entering Malaysia are required to be registered with Malaysia's Road Transport Department (RTD) or they would be refused entry in a new rule that will come into effect on Sept 1.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said the mandatory registration applied to all private vehicles, public buses, taxis, goods vehicles as well as diplomatic cars, The Star reported.

The online registration would start on Aug 15, and vehicle owners are required to pay RM10 (S$3.60) for the road charge, which is valid for five years.

"Singaporeans can register their vehicles at all the 72 counters in both the Causeway and Second Link as well as R&R areas near the two main entry points. However, we encourage online registration through the RTD website," Datuk Abdul Aziz was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times, when he met the press at the Sultan Abu Bakar customs, immigration and quarantine building in Gelang Patah on Saturday.

"RTD will then issue a radio frequency identification (RFID) card after a RM10 registration fee is paid. The registration is valid for five years. The tag will need to be renewed upon expiry, or when the owner buys a new car," he added.

Once registered, these Singapore vehicles will be allowed through Johor checkpoints for a one-month free trial from Sept 1 to Sept 30, after which from Oct 1 onwards Singapore-registered cars will be charged RM20 per entry for the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP).

The VEP for foreign vehicles was previously scheduled to begin on Sept 1, after it was postponed from August 1.

The VEP will be on imposed on private passenger vehicles, including multi-purpose and sports utilities vehicles, and payment can be made only with the Touch 'n Go card.

Government vehicles, motorcycles, public buses and taxis would be exempted from the VEP but they still have to be registered with the RTD.

Datuk Abdul Aziz told The Star the VEP system would have a second phase covering the Malaysia-Thailand border, and that the government hoped for a mid-2016 roll-out.

He added that the VEP fee would likely be the same.

"We have to have standard procedure," he said.

On August 1 last year, Singapore increased the VEP for foreign vehicles entering the republic from S$20 to S$35 daily.

The Republic also raised the Goods Vehicle Permit from S$10 to S$40.