Johor chief minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi vows to tackle VEP problems 'as soon as he gets back'

Johor's Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi vowed to "personally address" the complaints arising from the requirement for Singaporeans driving to Johor to have a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) and matching tag.

Speaking at the National University of Singapore Society (NUSS) 70th Anniversary Lecture 2024 on Wednesday, Sep. 18, Onn Hafiz said he takes the complaint seriously.

Painful process

A member of the audience asked, as a "potential investor", that Singaporeans have experienced difficulty registering their vehicles to enter Johor in the past couple of months.

He said he wasn't sure when the registration will "come into place" and how smooth the transition will be, following the requirement for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for all vehicles entering Malaysia by land from Singapore.

"And it's such a painful process, so we ask ourselves, if just registering your vehicle is so painful, what more about setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), or putting a factory down there?"

He added that getting to the SEZ itself will prove to be "painful."

Onn Hafiz response

Onn Hafiz said it was something that he will personally address, and the audience "had his word" on that.

He had visited the CIQ "more than a hundred times" and said his priority is to help to Johoreans, as over 300,000 people are affected by the delays.

They used to wake up at 4am just to arrive at their workplace in Singapore by 8am.

But after new measures such as QR codes and facial recognition clearance, they can wake up at 6am, saving two hours a day for Malaysians going to Singapore to work.

As for the ease of movement for Singaporeans going to Johor, Onn Hafiz said:

"Personally I haven't done anything yet, but you have my word, your complaint tonight is something that I take seriously and I will address it as soon as I get back to Johor."

@mothershipsg “Your complaint tonight is something that I take seriously and I will address it as soon as I get back to Johor.” Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi (a state leader), speaking at the 70th NUSS Lecture 2024 on Wednesday, Sep. 18, responded to an audience member raising VEP registration issues (a federal matter). #fyp #sgnews #vep ♬ original sound - Mothership

VEP troubles

It should be noted that the VEP requirement is not a state initiative but rather a federal government one.

Malaysia's transport ministry — not the Johor state government or its chief minister — announced the VEP requirement in May 2024.

From Oct. 1, 2024, onwards, vehicles without the VEP may be barred from entering Malaysia.

A radio frequency (RFID) tag must be installed, but motorists should also find it more convenient, as they can use it to pay for the RM20 (S$5.75) toll when entering Johor, and also charges on Malaysian highways with RFID lanes.

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

Appointments must be made weeks in advance.

Another option is to collect it in Johor or choose home delivery, but the latter will cost more.

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Top image by Mothership.