Malaysia’s VEP information counter to open in Woodlands, as its transport minister sticks to Oct 1 enforcement deadline

SINGAPORE: Singaporean drivers with queries on Malaysia’s Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) will soon be able to get more information on the application process through a partner vendor in Woodlands that is set to open on Aug 19.
This comes even as Malaysia’s transport minister stressed that enforcement would begin on Oct 1 for vehicles entering through the land checkpoints.
At a press conference on Thursday (Aug 1) in Johor Bahru, Mr Anthony Loke said that an information counter will be opened in Woodlands to help drivers with their queries.
It will be operated by a Singapore firm in collaboration with TCSens – the vendor company appointed by Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) – to handle queries from Singapore drivers, he added.
When contacted by CNA on Aug 2, an official from Malaysia’s transport ministry confirmed with the JPJ that the information counter in Singapore will open on Aug 19, though he did not give further details as where it may be located nor the services that may be rendered there. 
Mr Loke earlier on Thursday also did not give details of the Singapore partner firm that is set to work with TCSens nor the location of the information counter in Woodlands. It is also not clear whether drivers would be able to apply for the VEP in Singapore.
He noted that many Singapore drivers had gone to the TCSens office in Danga Bay in Johor Bahru to enquire about the VEP but did not have the supporting documents along with them.
“So, to further simplify this process, TCSens will work with their partner in Singapore to open an office or information counter in Woodlands within the next two weeks,” he said.
Mr Loke added that since Malaysia announced the Oct 1 VEP deadline on May 28, it had received some 58,791 VEP applications as of Jul 31. This is more than double the number reported as of Jun 29.
And of the close to 60,000 applications, some 40 per cent of them – or 24,104 applications – were incomplete, said Mr Loke. 
He stressed that the documents needed for the VEP application process include one’s vehicle insurance certificate, a copy of the identification card as well as the certificate of entitlement (COE).
“These three documents are needed (for the application process). We found that 40 per cent of the applications were incomplete and were unable to be processed further,” said Mr Loke, adding that he anticipates a further 50,000 VEP applications in the coming two months ahead of the Oct 1 enforcement deadline.
Meanwhile, Mr Loke stressed the approaching deadline and advised Singapore drivers entering Malaysia via the land checkpoints to apply for the VEP.
“Please complete the process before Oct 1. We hope that when it comes to the (deadline), there will be no issues for vehicles to enter without the (VEP),” he said,
Separately, the transport minister also said that drivers who had received the VEP tag via post needed to activate them within seven days.
“So now, if they don’t activate the tag within seven days, it means that (the tag) has expired and there’s a (need) to reactivate it,” said Mr Loke.
From Aug 2, he said that drivers can reactivate the VEP tag via the same portal in which they had applied for the tag’s registration.
Affirming his country’s decision to go ahead with the VEP enforcement, Mr Loke said that the system is in place to ensure accountability.
“(This is so that) we know who they are. We know their details and we want to make sure there are no suspicious vehicles (entering Malaysia) …,” he said.
When asked by the media about the enforcement plans in place for vehicles that enter Malaysia without the VEP, Mr Loke said he would share further details on Oct 1.
In May, Malaysia’s transport ministry said those driving a foreign-registered motor vehicle without a VEP in the country can be fined up to RM2,000 (US$438) or jailed for up to six months upon conviction.
“If they were to enter Malaysia without the VEP, they would have broken the rules,” Mr Loke said on Thursday.
Singaporean driver Ron Ho, 76, told CNA that he will be checking out the information counter in Woodlands once it is set up there.
“I will take time off to see them,” said the retiree who had previously written in to CNA regarding his VEP application woes. 
Mr Ho, who wants to see an application centre set up for the VEP in Singapore, however cautioned that the Woodlands Immigration Centre is already very crowded with “no parking space”. 
He added: “Only the Woodlands Park has reasonable parking space and can likely accommodate several booths at the park itself or at the cafe.
Additional reporting Zamzahuri Abas