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SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority announced that it nabbed four drivers who provided illegal cross-border chauffeured services between Singapore and Malaysia.

The drivers were caught by LTA when it carried out recent enforcement operations, the authority said in a Feb 22 (Wednesday) Facebook post, adding that this type of offence is taken “very seriously.” LTA further urged the public to refrain from availing of these services.

FB screengrab/LTA

“Besides being illegal, the vehicles used may not be sufficiently insured against third-party liabilities, which could pose a serious problem for passengers should an accident occur,” it added.

FB screengrab/LTA

Drivers who are caught offering these illegal hire-and-reward services, which include cross-border services without a valid Public Service Vehicle Licence, may face a fine of as much as $3,000, a jail sentence of up to six months, or both.

Moreover, the vehicle used in providing these services may also be forfeited, LTA warned.

FB screengrab/LTA

A spokesperson for the authority told The Straits Times that even booking these cross-border ride-hailing services, some done via social media or messaging apps including Facebook and Telegram, is against the law.

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“These vehicles might not be insured and could potentially leave passengers without recourse if they are involved in a traffic accident,” ST quotes the spokesperson as saying.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat praised LTA enforcement officers for their “vigilant efforts” in catching the errant and illegal drivers.

“Foreign drivers and foreign-registered vehicles need a valid licence before they are allowed to provide cross-border services. This is to protect passengers as drivers using these licensed vehicles are required to have valid insurance coverage for passengers, compared to illegal services,” he wrote in a Feb 21 Facebook post.

Mr Chee also said that he has asked the LTA to “take a firm stance against these unlawful practices and conduct undercover operations to catch the errant drivers.”

The Transport Minister also served up a stern warning to drivers who may be considering offering this type of illegal service. “Let me say this: think carefully before breaking the rules, as you never know if your next ‘customer’ is actually an undercover LTA officer,” he wrote.

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Mr Chee also encouraged the public to do their part by reporting illegal services to LTA via email or through the One Motoring platform. /TISG

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