Malaysian MPs express concern over increase in entry permit fees

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http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/malaysian-mps-express-concern-over-increase-entry-permit-fees?singlepage=true

Several Malaysian Members of Parliament (MPs) and the country’s lorry association have expressed concern over the impending increase in the entry permit fees for foreign-registered cars and goods vehicles entering Singapore, reported a news website.

From Aug 1, the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) fee for foreign-registered cars entering Singapore will be raised from S$20 to S$35 a day, while the Goods Vehicle Permit (GVP) fee for foreign-registered goods vehicles will be raised from S$10 to S$40 per calendar month, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced in Singapore on Tuesday.

The VEP fee increase would not affect buses or taxis, and the fee for foreign-registered motorcycles will remain unchanged at S$4 per day, reported Channel NewsAsia.

The LTA said the fee increase is part of its periodic review to ensure that “the cost of owning and using a foreign-registered vehicle in Singapore is commensurate with that of owning and using a Singapore-registered vehicle”.

The Malay Mail Online yesterday quoted Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong as saying that the increase would greatly impact Malaysians who travel to and work in Singapore.

Mr Liew noted that about 300,000 vehicles crossed the Johor-Singapore Causeway daily, most of which were Malaysian-owned. “The increase in the charges will put additional stress on the livelihood of Malaysians in Singapore,” he told the website, calling on the Malaysian and Singaporean governments to come up with a solution.

The Pan-Malaysia Lorry Owners’ Association told the Malay Mail that lorry operators would suffer the most as they have to bear the cost of the increase directly.

“Even if Singapore wants to increase the fees, it does not need to increase it by 400 per cent,” said the association’s secretary Anthony Tan.

He said local lorry operators were already suffering due to long queues at the customs checkpoint, where they have to wait for as long as four hours, burning costly fuel.

Kulai MP Teo Nie Ching said those who work across the Causeway and Malaysian children who are schooling in Singapore would also be greatly affected by the increase.