Thais flouting International Circulation Permit rule
KUALA LUMPUR: Drivers of private vehicles from Thailand have been flouting the law in Malaysia by taking tourists more than 2km into the country from border entry points.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abd Aziz Kaprawi, speaking at the Dewan Negara yesterday, said vehicles from Thailand entering Malaysia were given an exemption from the International Circulation Permit (ICP) within 2km from the border.
“However, vehicles from Thailand, notably vans, have been found ferrying inter- national tourists into the country without an ICP beyond the 2km radius,” said Aziz, in reply to Senator Abdul Shukor Mohd Sultan from Perlis.
Aziz said the government had stationed Road Transport Department (RTD) enforcement officers at border checkpoints in Kedah, Perlis, Perak and Kelantan.
Only vehicles with an ICP were allowed to continue their journey. Vehicles without ICP would be fined RM300 if found ferrying tourists illegally.
They would also be told to turn back to Thailand.
The 2km ICP exemption was part of an agreement between Malaysia and Thailand, which was signed in 1993.
Aziz said the government would press on with the implementation of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for vehicles entering Malaysia from Thailand and Singapore.
The VEP enabled the government to identify the number of foreign vehicles entering Malaysia through the Radio Frequency Identification tag.
“The implementation of the VEP is important towards stepping up security aspects and border control of the country.”
Foreign vehicles with dark window tints would also not be allowed to enter the country.
Aziz said the RTD would be instructed to carry out the directive as dark tints were a clear danger to the country’s security.
This is in response to concerns that the foreign vehicles might be bringing in drug traffickers and militants.
“RTD will immediately bar foreign vehicles with dark window tints from entering Malaysia.
“Those entering Malaysia will have to remove the tint of their vehicles,” he said in reply to Senator Datuk Abdullah Mat Yassin.
The issue of car window tinting, used to reduce glare and help control the temperature inside the vehicle, had been divisive for many years.
Malaysian motorists who tint their car windows and windscreens must adhere to Rule 5(1) and Rule 5(3) Motor Vehicles (Prohibition of Certain Glasses) Amendment 2000 — a law that has been widely ignored.
The permissible levels are a minimum of 70 per cent light penetration for the front windscreen and 50 per cent for other windows.
Exception is given to certain owners under Rules 11 (a) and 11 (b), Motor Vehicle Rules (Prohibition on Specific Types of Glass) 1991.