More than 200,000 Singapore vehicles cleared for VEP as enforcement kicks in

JOHOR BARU, July 1 — A total of 209,853 Singaporean vehicles activated their Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags as of yesterday, ahead of the full enforcement of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) at Malaysia-Singapore land border checkpoints today.

Road Transport Department (JPJ) director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the total includes 206,088 privately-owned and 3,765 company-registered vehicles from Singapore.

He said the figures reflected a high level of compliance among foreign vehicle owners, particularly Singaporeans, with more than 200,000 activations out of 280,000 registered vehicles.

“However, there are still 42,416 RFID tags that have yet to be activated.

“This shows that there are only a few who have yet to activate their RFID tags, and we will ensure that they comply,” he told reporters during a JPJ VEP compliance operation at the Sultan Iskandar Building’s (BSI) Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at midnight.

Earlier last night, JPJ mobilised 55 personnel across the state for the VEP enforcement operation.

Following the initial phase in Johor, the department will expand enforcement to other states frequented by foreign-registered vehicles.

Aedy Fadly said enforcement is in line with Section 66H(7) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333), which makes it an offence to drive a foreign-registered vehicle into or within Malaysia without a valid permit.

“Any Singapore-registered vehicle detected that have yet to install or activate its RFID tags will immediately be issued a fine of RM300.

“The authorities will detect any Singapore-registered vehicles without valid VEP upon entering Malaysia, but enforcement will not be carried out at the entrance to avoid any traffic congestion.

“However, the Singapore-registered vehicle drivers will face difficulties when leaving the country if the fine was not paid and the VEP was inactive.”

Aedy Fadly added that JPJ has also deployed VEP mobile units at enforcement locations to allow vehicle owners to settle summonses on the spot and activate their VEP before leaving Malaysia.

“We also have facilities at Danga Bay and the Danga Bay TCCN office here where foreign-registered vehicle owners can activate their VEP before leaving Malaysia,” he said, adding that summonses can also be paid at any JPJ counter, mobile counter, the Danga Bay VEP centre, or online via the MyEG portal.

He stressed that from today (July 1), the previous exemption for foreign-registered vehicles no longer applies and excuses for not registering will not be accepted.

“The VEP has been in place for the past seven years and we have given foreign-registered vehicle owners ample time.

“So, starting today, JPJ will issue summons to foreign-registered vehicle owners for entering without registering or activating their VEP,” he said.