SINGAPORE: An information counter for drivers in Singapore to enquire about Malaysia’s Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) began operations on Monday (Aug 19) without much fanfare, as the sole driver CNA met there by noon only heard about its location from a friend. 

No public announcement on the exact location of the office in Woodlands was made by TCSens - the vendor appointed by Malaysia's Road Transport Department (JPJ) to handle queries from Singapore drivers - nor by the authorities there. 

CNA first found out about the location of the office from a staff member at TCSens office in Johor's Danga Bay.

The office - located at 186 Woodlands Industrial Park E5 - was empty when CNA arrived at 8.45am. There were no drivers waiting outside the office, nor were there any signs at the unit indicating that it was the VEP information centre. 

The building's board listing, however, listed the third floor unit as "MY VEP PTE LTD". 

Earlier this month, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that a VEP information counter would be opened in Woodlands to help drivers with their queries. 

The counter will be operated by a Singapore firm in collaboration with TCSens, he said then.

On Monday, staff members running the centre arrived at about 8.47am to set up operations. 

Two rows of chairs, six information counters and a TV screen were seen inside the office. 

However, no drivers were seen at the office in the first hour of operation. 

At about 10.20am, a driver arrived at the office to enquire about his VEP application.

Mr Jackson Tan, a private-hire driver, told CNA that he found out about the office's address from a friend who went to TCSens' Johor Bahru office and enquired about the opening of the Singapore office from a staff member there. 

"Even on the Malaysia side, they only told my friend (the address) ... Not even the unit number (of the office)," the 55-year-old told CNA. 

Mr Ng Poh Heng, a manager at the office in Woodlands said that it was strictly an “enquiry centre”.

“The office is to provide guidance on the requirements for Singaporeans who have issues and problems, applying the VEP online - which is needed to enter Malaysia.

“The centre here is an enquiry centre, so Singaporeans don't need to travel all the way to Johor Bahru to get it done. So whatever questions they have, they can ask it here face-to-face,” he said.

CNA understands that drivers are not able to install nor collect their radio frequency identification (RFID) tag at the office.

Malaysia in May announced that all foreign-registered vehicles entering the country by land from Singapore will be required to use VEPs from Oct 1. 

Vehicles that have been registered will be fitted with a RFID tag that costs RM10 (US$2.28). The RFID tags, which uniquely identify each vehicle, are non-transferable.  

Action will be taken against any foreign motor vehicle without a VEP entering Malaysia from that date. Anyone found guilty of the offence can be fined up to RM2,000 or jailed for up to six months.

Mr Loke said that the permit has been implemented since 2019 but has not been enforced. The system was put on hold in 2020 as the government said it was looking at ways to make the installation of the RFID tag easier.

Currently, all foreign-registered cars entering Malaysia by road via Johor need to pay a levy.

Singapore-registered vehicles are required to pay a road charge of RM20 (S$5.75) for entering via the Woodlands Causeway and Tuas Second Link checkpoints, which are among the busiest in the world.

Motorcycles are excluded from these charges.