Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook yesterday (28 May) announced that all foreign vehicles must have the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) RFID tag when entering Malaysia from Singapore.
In a press conference, Loke asserted that the implementation will be enforced starting this 1 October at both ICQ complexes in Johor, namely at the Johor Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link.
All foreign vehicles from Singapore must have VEP RFID tags to enter Malaysia
The Transport Minister elaborated that the VEP RFID costs RM10 per tag and will be valid for 5 years. The system itself has been introduced since 2019 but will only be fully enforced starting 1 October 2024.
Accordingly, foreign vehicle owners from Singapore have the option to either bring their vehicles to Malaysia to install the RFID tag or request the tag be delivered to them for self-installation.
Loke thus urged all foreign vehicle owners from Singapore to register, install and activate their VEP RFID tags within the next 4 months.
He added that over 200,000 vehicles have registered in the system but some 130,000 of them have yet to install VEP RFID tags.
The Transport Minister stressed that foreign vehicle drivers from Singapore entering or already in Malaysia who fail to obtain a VEP RFID tag after the deadline are considered to have committed an offence under Section 66H(7) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Those who committed an offence under the above provision may face up to RM2,000 fine or up to 6 months imprisonment if convicted, as per Section 119(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987.
Singaporean vehicle owners with traffic summons must settle the fines before leaving Malaysia
Besides that, as reported by Buletin TV3, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has the authority to prohibit any foreign vehicles without VEP from entering Malaysia, as well as prohibiting them from exiting our country if they are matters under Section 66J of the Road Transport Act 1987 that are yet to be resolved.
These include outstanding traffic summons, hence foreign vehicle owners from Singapore will be prohibited from exiting Malaysia unless they settle all the summons prior to leaving our country.
So, what do you guys think of Loke’s statement? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!