BATU PAHAT: The levy for commercial and heavy vehicles using the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link has been reduced from RM200 to RM50, as part of efforts to reduce congestion at the Johor Causeway.
Deputy Transport minister Datuk Abd Aziz Kaprawi said the move was also aimed at encouraging more road users to use the Second Link.
He said the levy reduction would come into force effective immediately after it was approved by Cabinet last week.
He said the move was necessary as traffic volume at the Johor Causeway,
which was the main route used by commercial and heavy vehicles heading into Singapore, had reached its optimum capacity.
“The government has decided to reduce the levy for commercial and heavy vehicles at the Second Link to just RM50 effective immediately.
“The decision is an immediate measure by Malaysia to address the issue severe traffic at the Johor Causeway, as well as to provide relief to drivers of light vehicles who use the Causeway regularly.
“We hope the significant reduction of the levy rate for commercial vehicles will make the Second Link the primary route for heavy vehicle operators entering Singapore,” he said here today.
Last month, the Transport Ministry said it would study ways to encourage road users to use the Second Link at peak hours.
Its minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai was quoted as saying that it would come up with a short-term measure to reduce traffic congestion at the Johor Causeway.
The levy reduction proposal was first made during Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's visit to Singapore for the 8th Malaysia-Singapore Leaders' Retreat earlier this month.