A SINGAPOREAN woman has alleged that she and her boyfriend were asked to pay RM500 to a person identifying as a “policeman” at the Sultan Iskandar CIQ Complex in Johor Baru.
Taking to Facebook, Irene Teo said the incident occurred on Sunday (March 10) at about 8pm.
Her post was also shared on the “MY SG Road Trip - Your Malaysia Road Trip Guide” Facebook group with more than 75,000 members on March 11.
She claimed that they were extorted by the “policeman” in Johor Baru. “He asked us for RM600 but we only had RM500 with us. He said he would do us a favour and RM500 is okay too,” she said.
“We were on the way back to Singapore from Johor Baru and were waiting in the car lane (EDL) towards the immigration in JB.
“Suddenly, a few policemen opened the lorry lane on the left and he asked us to drive on the lorry lane, which he just opened up for us,” she said.
She said they followed another car with a Singaporean licence plate, and it led them to a deserted side road beside the CIQ.
“When we looked around, we were surprised to see only two cars, including us, in the deserted area. A policeman in uniform then radioed to his colleague and a policeman came on a motorcycle and asked us why we used this route to go back to Singapore.
“We told him the police opened the lorry lane and asked us to proceed and we didn’t know it led us to the unauthorised area,” she wrote.
Teo said they immediately felt unsafe and knew the “policemen” were in cahoots.
She said they then asked the driver for his driving licence and passport, claiming that the “policeman” said he would “help” them to go back to the car lane to the CIQ.
In return, she said the man asked them for RM600 as a “fine” for driving in an unauthorised lane.
“He said otherwise, we had to go to the office and lodge a report and we still have to pay the fine at the office and our data will be recorded in the police system which is not good for us.
“We told him we could go to the office to pay the fine officially but he just simply ignored us and one of our passports was with him,” she added.
She said after paying him RM500, the man guided them back to the car lane by blocking other cars.
“Anyway, this is a lesson learnt and it taught us to be extra careful even with the uniformed authorities in Malaysia next time.
“I urge all Singapore drivers to take note and be careful. If such scam tactics worked for them, they would keep on doing it till the law caught up with them one day,” she claimed.
According to reports in Mothership.sg (Singapore), Teo said she has since emailed Johor Chief Minister Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi following the incident.
She also said she would like to highlight this incident to inform other Singaporeans who drive into Johor Baru. – The Vibes, March 12, 2024
