PARLIAMENT

Singapore to match Malaysia's foreign vehicle road charge

Singapore will match the RM20 (S$6.40) road charge that Malaysia has imposed on foreign vehicles since Nov 1 last year, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan in Parliament yesterday.

He also said drivers of Singapore-registered vehicles entering Malaysia via Woodlands and Tuas paid an estimated RM13.9 million in road charges between Nov 1 and Dec 20.

He was replying to Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC), who asked for an estimate of the road charges paid by drivers of Singapore-registered vehicles, as well as whether Singapore plans to impose similar charges in the near future.

Details of the matching charge will be announced soon, said Mr Khaw, adding that Singapore has a "longstanding policy of matching any levy, tolls or fees" imposed on vehicles crossing into Malaysia.

"This is to ensure that Malaysia takes into consideration our response whenever they raise their tolls or introduce a new levy," he said.

Mr Ang also asked whether the number of vehicles entering Malaysia had gone down significantly since the charge came into effect.

Mr Khaw said there has been no noticeable drop, noting that the levying of the charges coincided with the year-end holiday period.

He added that most of the vehicles crossing at the checkpoints were motorcycles, to which the road charges did not apply.

Zhaki Abdullah

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 10, 2017, with the headline Singapore to match Malaysia's foreign vehicle road charge. Subscribe