A special operation led by Malaysia’s Road Transport Department (JPJ) resulted in four confiscated vehicles originating from Singapore. The operation specifically targets vehicles and drivers that lack the proper registration to conduct ride-hailing services across the Singapore-Malaysia border.
THE OPERATION
Malaysian authorities tightened security in Johor, the state bordering the peninsula with neighbouring country Singapore. This tightened security follows a rise in Singapore-registered vehicles offering cross-border services without proper paperwork and authorisation.
Under the “Special Op for Foreign Vehicle E-Hailing,” the JPJ caught four Singapore-registered vehicles crossing the Malaysian border These seized vehicles posed as ride-hailing vehicles. Its operators now face fines of up to MYR 50,000 (AUD 18,206) in addition to compounding and potential forfeiture.
“The drivers were ferrying tourists from Singapore and other nationalities into Johor during ongoing operations in Johor Baru starting Aug 9,” JPJ director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli told The Star. “These operators have no approval from the Malaysian government, Land Public Transport Agency (APAD), or JPJ to operate here.”
According to the JPJ’s investigations, unauthorised ride-hailing operators informally advertise their services on social media platforms. They offer up to SGD 180 (AUD 215.79) for a trip to Johor Bahru and up to SGD 1,200 (AUD 1,439) for a trip to Ipoh. These rates are not approved by local Malaysian or Singaporean authorities.
Ramli emphasised that the JPJ’s special operation is separate from Singapore’s own sting. “This is carried out by JPJ with a different modus operandi, not as a reaction to LTA’s operations,” he told The Star.
COOPERATION OR SEPARATION?
Singapore’s own efforts to catch illegal ride-hailing operators were focused on Changi Airport. Its Land Transport Authority (LTA) arrested 10 motorists last month for offering unauthorised ride-hailing services. Some of them even offered trips across the Malaysian border.
An analysis of the situation from WebProNews found that Singapore and Malaysia’s border enforcement needs more improvement. As a result, loopholes have allowed illegal cross-border services to proliferate, increasing risk for both countries.
As a result of these unauthorised services, stricter enforcement has been placed at the border. This may even affect legitimate ride-hailing businesses like Grab. Already facing strict regulations in both Singapore and Malaysia, WebProNews suggests that geofencing or AI monitoring to will be enforced to improve cross-border operations.
DRIVERS UNITE
In the wake of recent incidents, local Johor drivers banned together to form association. This association was initially created to draw the attention of JPJ minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook towards their plight. According to one of the proponents, proper documents have already been submitted to Malaysia’s Registrar of Societies. So far, they have recorded over 1,000 interested Johor drivers out of 4,000 registered locally.
“We hope that through the association, we can meet with Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Johor Menteri Besar (chief minister) Onn Hafiz bin Ghazi to present our ideas to them,” he said.
According to the same driver, named Lim by AsiaOne, Johor’s drivers are more than willing to comply with regulations despite the prevalence of illegal operators. Furthermore, he emphasised the importance transport to Johor’s local tourism industry, which is regularly boosted by nearby Singaporeans.
Lim hopes that the approval of this association can be a “pathway” to legalised cross-border services. “Once the cross-border transport service is legalised, then we can negotiate with Singapore,” he told AsiaOne. “The purpose of forming the association is to gather feedback and collective strength to negotiate with the relevant ministries and accelerate the implementation of favourable and friendly policies.”
Meanwhile on Singapore’s end, there have been no concrete plans made to loosen restrictions so far. “While we are open to ideas to improve the cross-border commuting experience, we would like to clarify that LTA has no plan to fully liberalise cross-border point-to-point transport via ride-hail services,” said acting LTA minister Jeffrey Siow.
Singapore will instead focus on its existing fleet of 2,000 cross-border taxis.
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