ALOR STAR: The Kedah Malay Chambers of Commerce (DPMM) have lauded the government's decision to enforce the Road Charge (RC) and Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) regulations, which will soon extend to the Malaysia-Thailand land border.
DPMM Kedah charter president Datuk Mohd Zayad Md Ismail said the move, slated for enforcement at the Malaysia-Singapore land border on Oct 1, is timely given the current economic conditions and rapid development between Thailand and Malaysia.
"There are several weaknesses in our system that need to be reviewed to align with current conditions, especially considering the rapid economic growth and development between Thailand and Malaysia.
"Previously, there may not have been any development within a two-kilometer radius, but now it is growing rapidly. We also need to address security issues and ensure uniform border systems nationwide to avoid any bias," he said in a statement today.
Zayad said the imposition of VEP charges on vehicles from Thailand, similar to those from Singapore, is also seen as an effort to standardise the cross-border system nationwide.
He said the move will not only increase government revenue but also regulate the movement of foreign vehicles within the country.
"In addition to enhancing security and upholding the rule of law, VEP and RC are crucial for maintaining data on vehicles leaving the country through registered routes.
"This initiative will also streamline the entry of foreign vehicles into Malaysia. We want to control our borders to prevent unauthorised activities like human trafficking, and smuggling of goods such as drugs, weapons, and diesel," he added.
He also said the move could help detect cloned vehicles, as authorities can investigate when a vehicle remains in the country for an extended period, potentially indicating it is a cloned vehicle.
Commenting further, Zayad expressed confidence that the move will not affect the entry of vehicles from Thailand into Malaysia.
"Additionally, the levy collected might be returned to the involved border states to fund development projects," he added.
However, Zayad said the are several issues that need to be addressed by the stakeholders before implementing the move
"Although it will be enforced this October for the Malaysia-Singapore border, records found that only about 70,000 Singapore-registered vehicles have activated their VEP tags, compared to over 200,000 registered vehicles that have yet to complete the installation and activation of their VEP tags.
"There are also technical issues, such as the installation of VEP-Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, which have not gone smoothly," he added.
He also said that many users are reportedly dissatisfied with the inaccurate barcode readings by monitoring cameras.
"These are some of the issues why VEP, first announced in 2017 and meant to be fully enforced by 2019, was postponed by the government due to RFID tag installation issues.
"Additionally, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report highlighted that the direct negotiation awarding of the project under the Transport Ministry in 2018 did not meet the original urgency requirements of the government," he added.
Yesterday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced that Malaysia will enforce the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for all foreign vehicles entering from Singapore starting Oct 1.
He said the move would ensure that all road users fully comply with Malaysian road regulations.
He also said that the RC and VEP regulations will soon be extended to the Malaysia-Thailand land border.