KL ministers clueless on foreign vehicle levy

The Straits Times, February 2, 2007


No one seems to know when or even who should be collecting money.

PUTRAJAYA - IT'S all systems go - apparently - to begin charging Singapore vehicles RM20 (S$9) to enter Malaysia but top officials still seem to be uncertain when or even who would be collecting the money.

No one was able to say when the green light would be given to begin charging the levy either, according to a report yesterday.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy deflected questions about the system to the Immigration Department.

At a separate function, Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, whose portfolio includes immigration, referred such questions back to to the Transport Minister, the New Straits Times reported.

'We are waiting for them as they are implementing it,' both men said.

This was their response to queries on the levy on foreign vehicles entering Malaysia and how the system would be implemented.

Datuk Seri Chan said the amendments to the law to impose the levy had been made and it was now up to the implementing agency, the Immigration Department, to execute it.

Asked if it was true that the gantries had already been put up and were ready for use, he said the Ministry had no clue about this and said the question should be forwarded to the Immigration Department.

'Although the ministry is involved in this project, Immigration is going to implement it,' he said adding that the Cabinet had not decided on the method of payment.

Electronic equipment has been installed at both the Causeway and Second Link, according to Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho.

It was also reported earlier this week that trial runs for the equipment had already been conducted and the report quoted unnamed motorists as saying that they had been told the levy could be imposed as of yesterday.

But Datuk Seri Radzi said that his officers would be tasked with collecting the levy only when it came into effect.

'I thought it is all to be done by the Transport Ministry,' he said.

'Immigration officers at checkpoints will only be checking the necessary documents and collect the money,' he added.

When asked to clarify the confusion surrounding the use of gantries and smart card readers at entry points like the Johor Baru Causeway, the Home Affairs Minister was unable to do so.

'The money is not even for Immigration and since we are collecting it on behalf of the Transport Ministry, it is in charge of the implementation,' he said.

Asked if the payment system was similar to the one employed by Singapore, Datuk Seri Radzi said he could not comment as well.

Singapore imposes a S$20 fee on Malaysian cars entering the republic on weekdays. It allows free entry for 10 days in a year. The fee for motorcycles is S$4.

'I will find out what is happening...and whether it is us or the Transport Ministry that is supposed to be giving the green light, although I think it is them,' said Datuk Seri Radzi.

'But for now, we have not started collecting money and there is no decision if the collection will be done using the gantry system or manually.'

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