VEP rollout in Malaysia: Motorists in Singapore say no reminders have been issued so far and traffic on the Causeway is lighter

According to the Beat the Jam mobile application, a service that tracks traffic conditions on both the Woodlands Causeway and the Tuas Second Link, the estimated time for motorists to travel through both land crossings was between 15 and 20 minutes, well below that Average of 40 to 50 minutes based on data from a week ago.

LESS TRAFFIC, EMPTY VEP CENTERS

According to an Interior Ministry official Traffic volumes at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, which is connected to the Woodlands Causeway, were reportedly 20 percent lower on Tuesday morning Malaysian news agency The Star. He did not name the basis for comparison.

The official said it was too early to say whether the decline was due to VEP implementation.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced in May that Malaysia would require all foreign-registered vehicles entering the country overland from Singapore to use vehicle entry permits (VEPs) from October 1.

The VEP would allow the government to track foreign vehicles entering or leaving the country and make motorists pay outstanding fines before they are allowed to leave the country.

Any foreign motor vehicle without a VEP entering or staying in Malaysia from this date They faced a fine of up to RM2,000 (US$425) or a prison sentence of up to six months.

However, many motorists have had difficulty obtaining a VEP and the JPJ announced on September 27 that enforcement would occur “in phases”, starting with reminders and warnings from October 1.

Malaysia has not confirmed when it will fully enforce the VEP requirements.

Crowds at VEP centers in Johor Bahru were also lower on Tuesday morning compared to previous weeks.

At the center in Danga Bay, run by transport company TCSens, about 40 drivers were busy collecting their tags or asking questions. When CNA visited the center two weeks ago, there were at least 100 people there, including a long line of drivers waiting for a queue number.

One of the drivers there on Tuesday morning was Mr Peter Soh, who was there to pick up and attach his trailer.