Singaporeans unfazed by Malaysian rules on tinted car windows

Malaysian authorities have announced that foreign vehicles with dark window tints will not be allowed to enter Malaysia with immediate effect, local media reported on Monday.

This is in response to concerns that foreign vehicles entering the country might bring in drug traffickers and members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria group.

Malaysia's Deputy Transport Minister Abdul Aziz Kaprawi had said in Parliament: "The Road Transport Department will take immediate action in barring foreign vehicles with dark window tints from entering Malaysia. Those entering Malaysia will have to remove the dark window tint of their vehicles."

According to Malaysian motor vehicle laws, cars must allow at least 70 per cent of light to be able to pass through the front windscreen, 50 per cent for front side windows and 30 per cent for rear windows.

In contrast, the requirements for cars in Singapore is 70 per cent of light to pass through for the front windscreen and two front side windows and 25 per cent for rear windows.

Four Singapore car window tinting companies The New Paper spoke are not worried by the new rule. In fact, they were surprised to hear it.

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Mr Jimmy Poh, 60, owner of Zen Car Services, said: "Malaysian authorities should be more concerned with regulating Malaysian cars as their windows have darker tints than ours.

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Miss Eileen Lin, 38, manager of Rikecool Automotive Film, added: "Most Malaysian cars use reflective tint, which is illegal in Singapore.

"Compared to the clear tint that Singaporean drivers use, reflective tint is harder to see through."

None of the four have received requests from clients to modify their window tinting according to Malaysian guidelines, and they think it is unlikely to happen.

Singaporean Vincent Lim, 55, who owns a packaging factory in Malaysia and has been driving into the country daily for more than 10 years, is not concerned by the new rule.

He said: "I do not intend to change the tint on my car any time soon since Malaysian cars are much more darkly tinted, so it is unlikely I will be caught."