Ministry: Road charge to go when Malaysian levy is applied to all land borders
The Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Ilango Karuppannan, said he has been informed by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan that Singapore would lift its Reciprocal Road Charge (RRC) once Malaysia imposes its Road Charge (RC) at the Thai border, The Star reported.
According to a release published by the Ministry of Transport, Singapore will remove the RRC once Malaysia's RC is implemented to "all of Malaysia's other land borders".
In the release, published Wednesday on the Government's website, the MOT said Singapore had "no choice" but to respond with the RRC as it was the only country affected by the RC.
"However, once the Road Charge is implemented at all of Malaysia's other land borders, at an equal quantum and on all non-Malaysian-registered cars, we will remove our RRC," the release went on to say.
From Feb 15, foreign cars entering Singapore via the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints will have to pay an entry charge of $6.40.
It mirrors the road charge of RM20 ($6.40) for foreign cars entering Johor, which was implemented last November.
Vehicles which cross the Thai border do not have to pay the RC.
Mr Ilango was quoted by The Star as saying: "(Singaporeans) see the RC as a type of toll collection and they will match it whenever Malaysia increases the toll charges at the Causeway or Second Link."
He also said: "It makes sense for Malaysia to charge foreign vehicles the RC, especially for the maintenance, and wear and tear of our roads."
Malaysian Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai told The Straits Times on Monday that Malaysia is "not discriminating against Singaporean cars".
He said: "We will also introduce the Road Charge at the Thai and Indonesian borders. (At) all the borders, we will introduce the same charges. We want the Singapore government to reconsider."
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