Malaysia to Implement Vehicle Entry Permits for Singapore Vehicles Starting October

Malaysia to require Singapore vehicles to have entry permits from October 1. Offenders may face fines up to 2,000 ringgit or imprisonment. Registered vehicles will be equipped with RFID tags for tracking and documentation.

This new regulation aims to enhance border control and ensure proper documentation for vehicles crossing the border.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced during a press conference that any foreign motor vehicle without a VEP will face consequences if found entering or already in Malaysia after the specified date. Offenders could be fined up to 2,000 ringgit (US$427) or face a jail term of up to six months.

To comply with the new requirement, registered vehicles will be equipped with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, which will cost 10 ringgit. The VEP system was initially introduced in 2019 but was not enforced. It was put on hold in 2020 to explore ways to simplify the installation process of the RFID tags.

According to current records, approximately 70,000 Singapore-registered motor vehicles have activated their VEP tags, while more than 200,000 vehicles have been registered but have yet to complete the installation and activation process. The RFID tags are unique to each vehicle and cannot be transferred.

To facilitate the installation process, the authorities will send the RFID tags to vehicle owners, who can then install them according to the provided guidelines. This eliminates the need for owners to travel to Johor Bahru for the installation.

Minister Loke emphasised that the implementation of the VEP system is crucial for effective tracking of foreign vehicles entering and leaving the country. Additionally, it will ensure that any outstanding summonses are settled before vehicles are allowed to exit Malaysia.

Currently, foreign-registered cars entering Malaysia via Johor are required to pay a levy. Singapore-registered vehicles, on the other hand, must pay a road charge of 20 ringgit when entering through the Woodlands Causeway and Tuas Second Link checkpoints, which are among the busiest in the world. However, motorcycles are exempt from these charges.

In a further announcement, Minister Loke revealed the government's plan to expand the VEP and Road Charge system to the Malaysia-Thailand border, extending the reach of these measures to enhance border control and streamline documentation processes.

Malaysia to require Singapore vehicles to have entry permits from October 1
Offenders may face fines up to 2,000 ringgit or imprisonment
Registered vehicles will be equipped with RFID tags for tracking and documentation

Sources: MICROSOFT