KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia will enforce the vehicle-entry permit (VEP) law in phases beginning October 1 this year, the transport ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry said only foreign vehicles installed with the VEP-RFID tag issued by the Road Transport Department (RTD), which is valid for five years, will be allowed to enter Malaysia.

It said registered vehicles will receive the VEP-RFID tags after their owners register online at vep.jpj.gov.my and make appointments to install the tags.

Previously, the Malaysian transport ministry had said that the VEP was to be implemented in January 2018. It was then delayed to “fine-tune the system”, said the country’s then-transport minister Liow Tiong Lai.

In September last year, Malaysian national news agency Bernama had reported that the VEP was to be implemented at the Johor Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link by the end of 2018.

The new ruling comes under Section 66H of the Road Transport Act 1987 which will require all foreign vehicles entering Malaysia through any route, landing place, check point, or point of entry to apply and register for the permit with the RTD.

The ministry said as phase one of the VEP implementation will be at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar and Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar in Johor Baru, the VEP-RFID tags can be collected and installed at the Gelang Patah Southbound RnR, Plaza Angsana Open Carpark, Pandan RnR, and Lima Kedai Toll Plaza.

Phase two will involve all entry points or land borders between Malaysia and Thailand in the north.

Later, phase three will be enforced at all entry points or land borders in East Malaysia between Malaysia-Brunei-Indonesia.

The enforcement dates for phases two and three will be announced in due time, the ministry added.

For further information on VEP, call +607-5950669, or email aduanvep [at] jpj.gov.my (aduanvep[at]jpj[dot]gov[dot]my). THE MALAYSIAN INSIGHT