JPJ: six more months for Singapore-registered vehicles to be fitted with RFID

MUAR, Jan 3 -- The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has given a six-month extension to Singaporean vehicle owners to apply for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags which uniquely identify each vehicle, when entering Malaysia through the two checkpoints in Johor.

Department director-general Datuk Seri Shaharuddin Khalid said today the RFID system introduced along with Vehicle Entry Permits (VEP), had previously been suspended to give time to vehicle owners to register for the RFID.

So far, while 230,000 Singapore-registered vehicles have registered for VEPs, only 60,000 vehicles from Singapore have signed up for the RFID. 

"Right now, we are in the phase of installing the RFID system in vehicles which have registered (for it) and we are still giving other vehicle owners who have yet to register, time to do so," Shaharuddin explained, adding that he was confident the government and citizens of Singapore had been informed of the VEP and RFID systems.

Shaharuddin was speaking to reporters after the launch of the JPJ's Southern Zone highway enforcement station at the Pagoh rest area (south-bound) here, with PLUS Malaysia Berhad managing director Datuk Azman Ismail also present.

Commenting on car safety seats for children, Shaharuddin said summonses had not yet been issued against errant drivers, as the department was still focusing on undertaking awareness efforts.

"For the moment, we will pull over drivers who have not installed the seats but only for the purposes of educating them on the regulation, and to compile statistics before we undertake a review," he added.

-- BERNAMA