Why pay extra for my Malaysian car?

[Alfpoon]

anyone read this? i really don't know what to say about this guy.

 

Why pay extra for my Malaysian car?

 

By Desmond Ng

 

FOR the past three months, he has been thinking about retiring in Malaysia.

 

But there is one big road hump - the issue of car-ownership.

 

Retiree Mr Tan Sin Wee, 60, wants to buy a Malaysian-registered car.

 

Not only because it's cheaper there, he explained, but also to reduce the risk of falling prey to criminals.

 

The problem is Mr Tan will have to pay the car's additional registration fee (ARF) - which will come up to tens of thousands - if he wants to drive the car to visit his son in Singapore.

 

Mr Tan, who wrote to us last month, said this fee is on top of the $20 permit fee imposed on foreign-registered cars entering here from 2 am to 5 pm on weekdays.

 

No fees are levied on weekends and public holidays.

 

Questioned Mr Tan: 'Why is there a need to pay the ARF? I think it's an overkill. Isn't it enough that I will be paying the $20 permit fee? Why the double-standards considering that foreigners don't have to pay the ARF?'

 

Mr Tan, who lives in a terrace house in the Aljunied area, thinks the ARF portion should be waived, especially for those who want to retire up north yet keep their ties with their relatives in Singapore.

 

He wants to retire in Malaysia because of the lower cost of living, the less hectic pace and proximity to Singapore.

 

Mr Tan is married with a 24-year-old son.

 

The former oil exploration engineer is thinking of selling his $1 million house here to retire in Johor Baru, that is, if he can work around the ARF issue.

 

What of the option of having two cars, one Malaysian-registered and the other Singapore-registered?

 

'If I am able to afford two cars,' he said, 'I won't have to think about retiring elsewhere.'

 

LTA said Singaporeans are only allowed to drive foreign-registered vehicles in Singapore if the ARF of the vehicle's open market value (OMV) is paid.

 

Said an LTA spokesman: 'This is to ensure that our car ownership measures, put in place to manage congestion within Singapore, will not be circumvented.'

 

But Singaporeans working and residing in Malaysia who need to make home visits to Singapore occasionally are allowed to drive their Malaysia-registered cars here on a case-by-case basis.

 

Transport economist Mr Michael Li of the Nanyang Business School said that if the policy is removed, it may create a loophole.

 

'This could create a situation where Singaporeans may just register a car there to take advantage of the cost savings, and then pay the nominal $20 to drive here. It could be a cheaper option,' he said.

 

Mr Li said this loophole would benefit those who purchase luxury cars with higher COE and OMV, where the savings would be in the tens of thousands.

 

For example, a Mercedes C200 would set you back about $151,000 (plus COE) here compared to about $100,000 in Malaysia.

 

Said Mr Li: 'Cars in Malaysia don't expire in 10 years like our COE system. So there's potential for abuse if this policy is removed.'

 

He said that in Mr Tan's case, he can park his Malaysian-registered car near the Causeway, and take a taxi around Singapore.

 

Said Mr Li: 'If a Government policy affects many people and creates hardship, then we've to review it. But in this case, it doesn't. And the small number of people who may be affected by this policy do have choices.'

 

http://www.asiaone.com/Motoring/News/Story...0904-85862.html

[Alfpoon]

this guy is a millionaire and wants to retire in Johor, yet wants to stinge over a few thousand dollars? even PRs are not allowed to drive M'sian registered cars into SGP let alone S'poreans.

[Apollo]

Ai Pee

Ai Chee

Ai Tua Liap Nee

[Alfpoon]

like that might as well give up his s'pore citizenship and get a m'sia passport...that way he will save a few thousand dollars.

[Boyboy]

as some LTA spokesperson suggested, why not park near causeway n take cab in SG?

 

maybe we singaporeans really get the gahmen we deserve. they chao kwan, but many of us also chao kwan

[Alfpoon]

millionaire cannot afford an OPC car just for his "visits" to Singapore? Will still save $$.

 

anyway...there are few policies that i agree with the gahment, but for this case, i agree.

[Scion]

i'm more curious to know why a millionaire wants to retire in JB

[Silver_blade]

I guess he should know by now that our country don't really care how he feel. As long as he not contributing to our country in the way our gov deem fit...he can go an die for all they care.

 

He will just have to do his sum and decide if it is worth it to settle in JB.

 

My uncle, who is also well-off, retires in KL and drives a s'pore car. I don't see a problem at all. Maybe there are many more expensive cars in KL than in JB....so my uncle's car is small fry to the crooks.

[Alfpoon]

exactly...it's poor people like us that needs to look for lower cost places to retire.

[Alfpoon]

a few years back when i was considering a job in KL, I never thought of buying a M'sia car but instead, get an OPC car where i can drive all day in M'sia, yet drive it when i am back in S'pore during the weekends.

[Apollo]

isn't it sad? father has to make effort to visit his children and not the other way around...

[Alfpoon]

hmm...true true...thanks. now i am quite sympathatic with this old man.

[Biting]

Yah one way is to buy weekend car. I recall some time back there was a report saying that Malaysians bought weekend cars as some models are cheaper in Singapore than Malaysia when registered using the weekend plate.

[Emils]

I think it's just an excuse that was conveniently given to justify why he needs a car to drive into Singapore.

[Silver_blade]

No really sad...cos that old man has all the time in the world to kill.

[Sony]

and you believe such a reason?

[Seabass_sg]

is like we owe him a living . . .

[Boyboy]

there are few policies that i agree with the gahment, but for this case, i agree.

 

my sentiments exactly. as citizens we need to know what we should kaobeh. this policy is not one of them