RM20 road charge for vehicles entering Singapore effective Feb 15

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian cars entering Singapore will be subjected to a S$6.40 (RM20) reciprocal road charge (RRC) effective Feb 15.
This is after the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced today that the charges would be imposed on all foreign-registered cars when they enter the country via its Tuas or Woodlands checkpoints.
The RCC is in addition to the S$35 (RM109) Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) and toll charges, and the fixed Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) fees that all foreign-registered vehicles are already required to pay presently.
"The RRC mirrors Malaysia's road charge of RM20 per entry for non-Malaysia registered cars entering Johor, which was implemented on Nov 1, 2016.
"It will be collected together with the VEP, toll charges and fixed ERP fees upon departure at the Tuas or Woodlands Checkpoint," LTA said in a statement.
LTA said signs have been put up to remind motorists to pay for the applicable charges by inserting their Autopass Card or CashCard into the card readers at the immigration booths.
It warned that motorists found to be evading payment of the charges are liable to pay a composition sum of S$50for first time offenders, and S$100 for repeat offenders.
"Motorists who do not pay the composition sum may be charged in court and are liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding S$1,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months for the first offence," it added.
Singapore Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan had, on Jan 9, reiterated the republic's stand to match Malaysia's road charge.
He was quoted in Parliament saying that the country has a long-standing policy of matching any levy, toll or fee charged by Malaysia at the land checkpoints.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, on Saturday, responded, calling on Singapore to reconsider its decision to match Malaysia's road charge, denying that the road charge was discriminatory against Singapore-registered vehicles.
He pointed that the republic had been charging Malaysian cars since 1973 through the VEP.
He also clarified that there would be no additional charge on foreign vehicles besides the the road charge when the country's own VEP is fully implemented by mid-year.
It is reported that an average of 20,000 Singapore-registered vehicles enter Malaysia daily via the two land checkpoints.