“You have my word” — Johor Chief Minister says he will “personally address” Singaporeans’ “painful” Vehicle Entry Permit concerns

SINGAPORE: Johor’s Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said he would “personally address” the concerns regarding the new Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) requirement and matching tag for Singaporeans driving into Johor.

According to Must Share News, Mr Ghazi, who spoke at the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) 70th Anniversary Lecture on Wednesday, Sept 18, said he is taking the concerns seriously.

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“Your complaint tonight is something that I take seriously and I will address it as soon as I get back to Johor.” Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi (a state leader), speaking at the 70th NUSS Lecture 2024 on Wednesday, Sep. 18, responded to an audience member raising VEP registration issues (a federal matter). #fyp #sgnews #vep

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During the lecture, an audience member, who identified himself as a “potential investor,” raised concerns about Singaporeans’ difficulty registering for the VEP, describing the process as “painful.”

He noted, “So we ask ourselves, if just registering your vehicle is so painful, what more about setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) or putting a factory down there?”

Mr Ghazi acknowledged the complaint but shared that his “priority” had been improving the daily commute for Johoreans travelling to Singapore first.

“My priority was always about the Johoreans first. Mainly because it affects 300,000 Malaysian people every day; they used to wake up at 4 am just to get to work by 8 am,” he said. 

He noted that recent improvements at the Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, such as QR code scanning and facial recognition, have helped reduce delays.

With these measures, many commuters can now wake up at 6 am and still arrive at work by 8 am, saving two to three hours daily.

As for Singaporeans’ concern about “ease of movement,” Mr Ghazi admitted that personally, he has “not done anything yet.” However, he said, “You have my word. Your complaint tonight is something that I take seriously, and I will address it as soon as I get back to Johor.”

The VEP requirement, introduced by Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport in May 2024, applies to all foreign-registered vehicles entering the country by land.

Starting Oct 1, 2024, vehicles without VEP and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags may be denied entry. The RFID tag allows drivers to pay tolls automatically, including the RM20 (S$5.75) fee at the Johor entry point.

Singaporeans have reported difficulties acquiring the RFID tag and are facing long queues at the collection centre in Woodlands. Appointments must be booked weeks in advance.

Motorists do have the option to collect their tags in Johor or arrange for home delivery, though the latter comes with an additional cost. /TISG

Read also: Malaysia to enforce Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for Singapore motorists from October 1: What you need to know