Singapore has started denying entry to all foreign vehicles with outstanding fines from April 1, 2019.

The clampdown is having an impact on Malaysians coming to work in Singapore.

Congestion at two land crossings

Congestion at the Causeway and Tuas Checkpoint was worse than usual on the first day the clampdown started.

Malaysians travelling into Singapore started their work week stuck in traffic at the Causeway and Second Link near Gelang Patah.

400,000 unpaid fines amounting to S$32 million

Five Singapore government agencies revealed on Feb. 1, 2019 that drivers of foreign vehicles had accumulated about 400,000 unpaid fines amounting to S$32 million.

The five government agencies involved are the Housing & Development Board (HDB), the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

The move is to deny foreign vehicles with outstanding fines for traffic, parking or vehicular emissions entry into Singapore.

Reminder alert

Foreign motorists were reminded a week before measures kicked in to pay their fines before April 1, or risk being denied entry into Singapore.

Motorists should also retain the receipt for verification purposes during their subsequent entries to Singapore.

Malaysian MP kicking up a fuss

Some Malaysians already saw the congestion coming.

Malaysia's Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim said Singapore's move to deny entry to those with outstanding fines for vehicle-related offences from April 1 shows that bilateral relations between both countries are not on good terms, The Star reported.

He said on March 30 that doing this would cause a lot of inconvenience to the thousands of Malaysians working in Singapore and commuting between both countries daily.

Singapore should discuss matter with Malaysia

Hassan urged Singapore to discuss the matter with Malaysia before imposing the move unilaterally.

"The people in both countries have no problem. It looks like both governments seem to have a problem," he said, urging both countries to sit down and talk things out.

Congestion spreads to bus riders

Malaysians coming to work in Singapore said the clampdown has resulted in more people taking the early morning 5am bus into Singapore, exacerbating the congestion for others.

How to pay fines

Motorists may check their outstanding fines at www.axs.com.sg and they can pay their fines through AXS kiosks, AXS website and the AXS mobile app or the customer service counters and websites of the respective agencies.

Singaporean motorists also owe money to Malaysia for unpaid fines.

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