Almost 4,000 Singapore drivers fined for entering Johor without VEP tag

Almost 4,000 Singapore drivers have been fined for failing to possess a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) tag when entering Malaysia, since enforcement began on July 1.

Between July 1 and Oct 20, there were 3,910 writs of summons worth a total of RM1.173 million (S$360,000) issued, Malaysian news outlets reported on Oct 21.

The figure was given by Johor's Road Transport Department (JPJ) senior enforcement director Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan, who spoke to reporters after the conclusion of a driving course at Kota Darulnaim Complex in Kelantan.

In an earlier update, JPJ said 3,148 offenders had been issued writs of summons as at Sept 28, Malaysia's Berita Harian reported.

This means that more than 760 fines were meted out over the past three weeks.

Datuk Kifli said all the writs of summons since July 1 - which cost RM300 each - were issued at three locations in Johor.

The majority of them, or 2,064, were at the Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ complex at the Second Link, followed by 1,765 at the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, Bernama reported.

The remaining 81 were issued at Taman Daya, a suburb near Mount Austin.

Singapore drivers who were fined were told to pay on the spot, as previous instances showed that some drivers would delay or avoid payment after returning to Singapore, Mr Kifli said in a Harian Metro report.

"By requiring immediate payment and warning of vehicle seizure for non-compliance, the measure has proven effective, with all drivers cooperating and settling fines promptly," he was quoted by Bernama as saying.

The VEP tag, which is RFID-enabled, allows the Malaysian authorities to identify foreign-registered vehicles on the country's roads, as well as keep track of any outstanding fines for traffic offences, which have to be settled before the vehicles exit the country.

Cashless-only payments for the fines can be made at JPJ counters, JPJ mobile counters or online through the MyEG system.

Mr Kifli said that enforcement at this point targeted only private vehicles. However, 1,269 notices were issued to company-owned vehicles to remind them to get a VEP, Bernama said.