FOREIGN vehicles entering Malaysia without a valid and activated Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) tag now risk being seized, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) has warned, as enforcement measures intensify at the Malaysia–Singapore land border.
"If they refuse to cooperate, we will seize the vehicle," said JPJ Senior Enforcement Director Muhammad Kifli Ma Hassan, referring to an incident involving a defiant Singaporean driver during a recent enforcement operation at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) checkpoint in Bukit Chagar.
The incident occurred roughly two weeks ago when JPJ officers stopped the vehicle during a special operation. Although initially refusing to activate his RFID VEP tag despite being issued a summons, the driver promptly paid the fine when informed that non-cooperation could result in the vehicle being impounded.
“Out of nearly 1,500 summonses issued, he was the only one who refused cooperation at first. Most were professional and complied by installing and activating the RFID VEP tags,” said Muhammad Kifli during a press conference late Sunday night at the BSI exit ramp.
From 1 July to 3 August, a total of 1,489 summonses were issued to Singaporean vehicles entering Malaysia without an active VEP tag. The enforcement operation, which began following an announcement by Transport Minister Anthony Loke in June, marks the beginning of full VEP implementation ahead of its formal nationwide enforcement date on 1 July 2025.
Failure to install and activate the RFID VEP is an offence under Section 66H(7) of the Road Transport Act 1987 and carries a maximum compound of RM300.
Throughout the enforcement period, JPJ has collected RM445,800 in summons payments and inspected 14,379 Singapore-registered vehicles at various locations, including BSI, the Sultan Abu Bakar Complex (KSAB), and other parts of Johor Bahru.
On Sunday night alone, JPJ issued 15 summonses to Singaporean vehicles that entered without the RFID VEP.
“Many of those summoned claimed they were unaware that Malaysia had moved past the advocacy phase and assumed it was still voluntary,” said Muhammad Kifli. “But we are no longer issuing warnings. Immediate action will be taken, and payment is required on the spot.”
To facilitate compliance, JPJ has stationed mobile counters at key locations, allowing foreign motorists to settle fines and activate VEP tags immediately. Motorists can also pay via the MyEG platform.
As of 31 July, JPJ has issued 277,930 RFID VEP tags to Singaporean vehicles, including both private and commercial vehicles. Muhammad Kifli noted that nearly 90 per cent of Singapore-registered private vehicles have already installed and activated the required tag.
“Most vehicles leaving Johor Bahru are now compliant, but we believe there are still unregistered vehicles in and around the district. We will continue to conduct checks at hotspots frequently visited by Singaporeans,” he added.
“All foreign vehicle owners are reminded to register, install, and activate their RFID VEP tags to avoid inconvenience when entering or leaving Malaysia.”- August 4, 2025
