'We'll sort this out': Johor chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi speaks to people queuing at VEP centres

Johor's Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi has vowed to "sort out" the current issues surrounding the registration and installation of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

In a TikTok post shared on Sep. 27, he could be seen personally visiting the VEP (Vehicle Entry Permit) management centres in Johor on Sep. 25 to address the frustrations experienced by applicants.

The move comes after vehicle owners from Singapore and Malaysia encountered long queues at the VEP centres in Woodlands and Johor Bahru, resulting in issues such as missed or delayed registrations.

Long queues, some vehicle owners had visited many times

At the beginning of the video, Onn Hafiz could be seen appearing frustrated as he asked someone why it was taking too long to set up a "tent".

The 39-second clip jumped to him speaking on the phone, saying: "You cannot wait. This is the image of my state, you know."

Queues snaked out from inside of the VEP centre into the road outside, as applicants waited for their turn.

Onn Hafiz also engaged directly with applicants inside the centres, with one claiming that he had written in to the authorities via email three months ago about registration issues but still had not received a reply.

"But what is the excuse for not replying to someone's email, even if the (system) did or did not crash?" He questioned.

Other applicants later told Onn Hafiz that they had come to the centre as early as 6:30am and 7am, with one of them saying that he had visited the centre around four or five times.

Onn Hafiz also approached applicants waiting in line outside the centre, seemingly to assure them that authorities will handle the situation.

"Guys, we'll sort this out, okay?" He said to the crowd.

@jdt01unite MB mengamuk pengurusan VEP tak sistematik? #onnhafiz #mbjohor #ciq #vep #singapore #malaysia #fyp #fypviral #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp ♬ original sound - JDTUnite01

VEP issues

The VEP, a Malaysian federal government initiative which will be officially implemented on Oct. 1, 2024, has seen several issues to date.

These include issues such as difficulty registering Singapore-owned vehicles for entry into Johor in the past couple of months.

The VEP is essentially an RFID tag fitted on a vehicle to facilitate payment for toll when entering Johor and other charges on Malaysian highways.

Those driving into Malaysia without the VEP may be barred.

Singaporeans have also encountered long queues at the centre in Woodlands where the tags can be installed.

On Sep. 18, while speaking at the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) 70th Anniversary Lecture 2024, Onn Hafiz said he takes the complaint seriously and that he will "personally address" complaints arising from the requirement for such Singapore-registered vehicles driving to Johor.

Singapore drivers can still enter Malaysia without VEP tag from Oct. 1

Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) announced on Sep. 27 that foreign-registered vehicles without the VEP will still be allowed to enter Malaysia from Singapore after Oct. 1.

However, JPJ director-general Aedy Fadly Ramli said in a statement that warnings will be issued to owners of Singapore-registered private vehicles without VEPs before they leave Malaysia.

JPJ said its officers stationed in the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex in Johor Bahru and Sultan Abu Bakar Complex CIQ at the Second Link may issue reminders for foreign-registered vehicles to immediately register, install and activate their VEP and RFID tags.

Top photos via jdt01unite/TikTok