THE government has agreed to impose the vehicle entry permit (VEP) charge soon on Singapore vehicles entering Johor, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Wahid Omar, who oversees the Economic Planning Unit, had been informed of the decision.

“I ask that the state government notify the Road Transport Department on when the move can be implemented,” he said in his speech before the breaking of fast at the Persada International Convention Centre yesterday.

Najib, who is also finance minister, said the government would announce the effective enforcement date of the VEP charge soon.

“We will decide on the rates to be imposed. Part of the fee collection will be shared with the Johor government.”

Earlier, the prime minister attended a briefing on Johor’s development to obtain information, especially on the plans and implementation of the pledges made during the 13th general election.

Also present were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi who was met after the briefing, said the ministry was fine-tuning the proposed VEP charge.

However, he said, the VEP charge would not be applicable at the border checkpoints in the northern part of the peninsula.

“We are taking a bilateral approach only between Malaysia and Singapore because only Singapore is imposing a VEP charge on Malaysian vehicles and not the other countries,” said Abdul Aziz.

Khaled recently said the Johor government suggested a VEP charge of RM20, with RM5 going to the state government for road maintenance, for Singapore vehicles entering Malaysia through the Johor Causeway and the Second Link.

Singapore had earlier announced an increased VEP charge of S$35 (RM90) from S$20 (RM51) now on foreign vehicles entering the island republic effective this August 1. — Bernama