Singapore May Increase Vehicle Entry Fee In Response To Malaysia’s Implementation Of RM20 VEP

The Singapore Ministry of Transport (MOT) has said that the RM20 VEP fee imposed on foreign private vehicles entering Malaysia through Johor "discriminates against Singapore vehicles” and will consider matching it in some form after studying its implementation.

In reports by The Malaysian Insider and Channel News Asia, the Ministry is requesting more information from Malaysian authorities on the new requirement where all Singapore private vehicles, public buses, taxis, goods vehicles, and diplomatic cars are required to be registered with the Road Transport Department, failing which they will be refused entry into Malaysia from 1 September.

A spokesperson for the MOT said, "such costs and inconveniences could discourage Singaporeans from going to Malaysia, in particular Johor, for leisure purposes such as shopping, entertainment, sight-seeing, holiday".

The online registration starts on 15 August and Singaporeans will have to pay a road charge costing RM10 that is valid for five years. Separately, they will also need to pay RM20 per entry for the VEP as well that can only be made with a Touch ‘n Go card.

In August 2014, Singapore raised its vehicle entry permit charges following which Malaysia announced a hike in toll charges. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority responded by increasing toll charges for all vehicles, except motorcycles, leaving Singapore through the Causeway from Oct 2014, as part of a long-standing policy that ensures a fair distribution of total revenues from the crossings.