KUALA LUMPUR – Payment of the RM20 road charge for foreign-registered private cars entering Malaysia from Singapore can be done using credit or debit cards, starting from August 1.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this will be enabled through the open toll payment system (OPS), and will be an additional option to using Touch N’ Go.
“Previously it was only Touch N’ Go that (Singaporean motorists) could use, now they can use credit or debit cards.
“This will be integrated into the RFID (radio-frequency identification) and they do not have to tap or reload Touch N’ Go. Everything can be done through credit card or debit card but they must install a new app, MDGS,” Loke said at a press conference today.
The MDGS app streamlines toll and road charge payments for motorists crossing borders between Singapore and Malaysia, and can be used to pay the road charge at Bangunan Sultan Ismail and at the Sultan Abu Bakar complex.
Loke also announced improvements to the application process for the vehicle entry permit (VEP) which foreign-registered private cars also need to enter Malaysia.
The VEP will be fully enforced by the Road Transport Department from October 1.
It will be easier to cancel VEP registration, or de-register a permit, as this can be done online, Loke said.
“This includes vehicles that have changed ownership.
“Renewals can also be done online without having to wait for the existing VEP tag to expire.
“These new functions have been implemented in the VEP portal from 28 June 2024 and will minimise the need to deal by email or at the counter,” Loke said.
Renewal notifications will be sent to vehicle owners before the VEP expiry date, with the first notification sent 60 days beforehand, and again 30 days and 10 days before the expiry date.
A VEP that expires upon five years from the registration date will also be cancelled automatically, he added.
Loke said these improvements were made based on feedback from Singaporean motorists.
Counter services have been improved as well, he added, with more staff added at the VEP collection centre, with additional manpower to handle email enquiries.
Loke on May 28 announced strict enforcement of VEPs effective October 1 as it was found that over 200,000 vehicles had registered for a RFID-based VEP tag but had not activated it, causing congestion at border checkpoints.
Loke today added that applications will still be accepted after October 1 when full enforcement starts.
The ministry also has plans to implement the VEP system at the Malaysia-Thai border.
He said since his announcement on full enforcement in late May, a total of 23,649 applications have been received as of June 29. This exceeded the 15,424 applications for the entire year in 2023.
In a month since his announcement, a total of 6,120 VEP tags have been issued to applicants and 1,080 have been activated.
A VEP tag is activated and deemed valid only after a photo of the vehicle registration number is uploaded to the assigned tag at https://vepams.jpj.gov.my. – July 1, 2024