JOHOR BARU: Malaysians are hoping Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) will reopen its offices on the republic’s side of the two land checkpoints with Johor, which will provide another channel for them to apply for the Singapore vehicle entry permit (VEP).
Many of them felt that if manual application is allowed to be done at the Singapore checkpoints, it will save them valuable time as the application can be approved on the spot, instead of having to wait for weeks to get a reply from LTA.
This comes as Singapore made it mandatory for all foreign-registered vehicles to apply for new VEP or Autopass cards, and to update online foreign-registered car and motorcycle road tax and motor insurance details for existing valid Autopass before entering Singapore.
P-hailing rider Mohamad Faizi, 30, said he applied for a new Autopass on March 31 and received the LTA’s approval via email two days later.
“I came back to Malaysia prior to the border closure two years back, where I had been working as a bus captain in Singapore for four years. Now, I am going back there after being offered to work as a bus captain again.
“We have to make sure that when applying online, all the documents are in order, bearing the same name, because if our vehicle insurance or vehicle grant shows someone else’s name, LTA will reject it.
“This has created many issues for a lot of people, especially those who have received job offers and wanting to cross the Causeway immediately, but unable to do so as they are still waiting for the email from LTA,” he added.
A businessman, who only wants to be known as Michael, said LTA’s move in having all application done online is an inconvenience to many Malaysians.
“The majority of Malaysians who drive into Singapore do so not only for work, but for other urgent issues such as banking matters.
“I submitted my application some five days back, but until now, I have yet to get any answer from LTA,” he said, adding that such a practice defeats the purpose of reopening both Malaysia and Singapore land borders.
Housewife Suhaida Yusoff, 50, said she had to apply for the entry permit as the motorcycle her husband used to go to work in Singapore was registered under her name.
“I had to ask for assistance from the LTA branch office staff here, who helped me in applying for it online as I am not too familiar with the system.
“The old method of applying during pre-pandemic days was easier and faster as we only had to bring the necessary documents to the LTA office in Woodlands,” she added.
In a statement last week, LTA said foreign-registered cars and motorcycles would be able to enter Singapore starting April 1, but only with a valid VEP.
It said applications must be done online via VEP Digital Services on LTA’s OneMotoring website.
Drivers of foreign-registered vehicles must receive LTA’s VEP approval email before they travel, where the Autopass card must be collected at LTA’s Johor Baru service centre at 34, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak Susur 1, before entering Singapore.