Use public transport to S’pore, MB tells commuters

KLUANG: Use public transport – that is the advice by Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Mohamed Khaled Nordin to Malaysians planning to travel to Singapore.

That, he said, would save Malaysians from having to pay the Reciprocal Road Charge (RCC) to be imposed by Singapore on foreign registered vehicles starting Feb 15.

He said the decision by Singapore to impose the charge should not be seen as a big issue, as Malaysians have a choice of not paying it by taking public transport.

“It is Singapore’s prerogative and we should view the move as something positive as it could encourage more Malaysians to use public transport to go to Singapore,” Mohamed Khaled told reporters during his working visit to Kluang on yesterday.

Mohamed Khaled said thousands of Malaysians living in Johor Baru and commuting daily to Singapore to work there ride their motorcycles instead of driving.

He said there were two types of lMalaysian drivers who drove their cars to the republic – those driving on holiday and Malaysians on business trips.

“Holiday-makers definitely have taken into account all the extra costs when they have to pay the RCC,” said Mohamed Khaled.

He said Singapore definitely had conducted an in-depth study before implementing the RCC including the economic impact on the republic.

In Petaling Jaya, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said he received a letter from his Singaporean counterpart on the RRC.

He said talks with Singapore has been ongoing since last November when Malaysia introduced the Vehicle Entry Permit.