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Singapore tit-for-tat will bite them back


Herz22
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SEPTEMBER 8 — The announcement and an immediate denial of Singapore’s Causeway toll increase by the island-state Land Transport Authority (LTA) has given a glimpse of an immature reaction that is expected to bite them back.

In a press release dated 5 September, LTA announced a slew of toll increase on their side of the Causeway to match the new toll announced by their Malaysian counterpart which was implemented on 1 August.

The increased toll rates by LTA were supposed to take effect on 15 September, until another statement reached the desk of media editors almost immediately denying that LTA has raised the toll rates.

The statement and then retraction by LTA, made the notorious bureaucratic and sloppy Malaysian government agencies look as efficient as NASA (US Aerospace Agency).

What the heck, it also made the PKR statement and retraction, announcement and then denial on their selection of Selangor Mentri Besar, acceptable by ‘industrial’ standard.

This pulled back statement of intent by Singapore, has shown a government that will go the extra length to show that they need to be one-over their neighbour.

Urban Malaysians do not buy the extreme rhetoric of right-wing leaders that will almost instantaneously ‘jump and cry like monkeys’ on every action by Singapore that has an effect towards Malaysia.

However, the more rational Malaysian and also Singaporean public cannot fathom the short-sightedness of the Singaporean government on this issue.

The Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) implemented the toll on their side of the Causeway to cover the cost of building a highway that connects the Causeway to the North-South Highway.

On the other hand, what are the reasons for Singapore to increase their toll now? Absolutely no justification except to match their neighbour’s action.

This immature intent-action reflect a shallow mentality that is lodged in the minds of the Singaporean leaders and yet they call themselves than their counterparts .in Malaysia.

Singapore has just increased the VEP (vehicle entry permit) rates from S$20 to S$35 (RM50 TO RM88) on 1 August, so the intent to increase the Causeway toll so soon after the VEP raise is totally unnecessary.

The tit-for-tat action by Singapore will also hurt their own companies and corporations that employ thousand of Malaysians mainly in low-paying jobs.

These blue-collared workers travel from Johor mainly by factory or public buses that will eventually transfer the cost of the toll increase to the migrant workers themselves.

The Singaporean employers, in their effort to retain manpower in their companies will have to fork out extras to cover the toll increase.

The expected on-again off-again toll increase by the LTA will eventually hurt their own companies/corporations as well as Singaporean individuals that amount to 80% that crosses the Causeway on a daily basis.

Singapore ought to reconsider their immature and childish tit-for-tat action as they are bound to lose in the long run.

Unlike the Malaysian side which require the toll to cover the building of a highway, Singapore has very little reason or excuse to increase the toll rates on their side.

At least one thing is certain, we can definitely expect some heads in LTA to roll due to the on-off toll increase fiasco.

Singapore, think before you jump.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.

- See more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/what-you-think/article/singapore-tit-for-tat-will-bite-them-back#sthash.ouFGJdlu.dpuf

 

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If it becomes too expensive to pay toll everyday M'sian will just rent a room or apartment here in Sgp. Whoever wrote this and their gahment is 3 steps behind sgp gahment.

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sgp garmen cleverer than malaysian..

tit-for-tat, we have the means to play, they don't.

their citizens will complain cos they need to travel to sgp for work.. in the end, who suffer, their ppl.

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Catch no ball leh.... Very hard to follow the writer's train of thots.

 

I tried to read it slowly but still get lose half way thru the passage. Maybe my English is not good enough.

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msia raised toll charges in 1-Aug

spore say will match (tit-for-tat)

 

then yesterday news reported spore will match toll charges in 15-Sep

and there was a confusion in the news reported not decided yet aka seek discussion with msia or is 15-sep a sure go date?

so, is spore retracting the news or mis-quote or simi tai ji?

 

Edited by Wt_know
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It's a political knee jerk reaction from the neighbours up north. Now they want to implement the same for their northerly neighbours as well.

 

http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/09/09/VEP-mulled-for-Thai-vehicles-entering-Malaysia/

 

BUKIT KAYU HITAM: The Malaysian Government is studying the possibility of imposing a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) for vehicles entering Malaysia from Thailand.

Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Aziz Kaprawi said the move was aimed at curbing Thai van and taxi operators from misusing the privilege of being allowed to operate up to two kilometres inside the Malaysian border.

"Many Thai vehicles violate the rules by sending their passengers all the way to Kuala Lumpur.

"This has badly affected the income of our taxi drivers," he told a press conference at the Anti-Smuggling Unit Complex here Tuesday.

He hoped the ruling could be implemented from Jan 1 next year, when the VEP for vehicles entering from Singapore takes effect.

On Aug 1, Singapore increased VEP charges on foreign-registered vehicles entering the republic, from S$20 to S$35 daily, and for Goods Vehicle Permit from S$10 to S$40 monthly.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said Malaysia would also impose the VEP on foreign vehicles entering the country from Singapore via Johor.

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nothing new la .... spore-msia always tit-for-tat what

you push me i push you

then after kaypoh kaypoh ... hug&kiss to make good [laugh]

ya. after all the actions.......

 

sjpmleeselfie151113e.jpg

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nothing new la .... spore-msia always tit-for-tat what

you push me i push you

then after kaypoh kaypoh ... hug&kiss to make good [laugh]

 

We people are the ones getting "hurt" from all the pushing.

 

My experience in Europe was never the need to pay for any kind of VEP. Except I have to pay fees to use a ferry to cross the English Channel to France.

 

Its like gg your neighbour's house and they charge you cover charge with no drinks.

ya. after all the actions.......

 

sjpmleeselfie151113e.jpg

 

They will always be good friends IMHO, afterall its the policies and not the person.

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nothing new la .... spore-msia always tit-for-tat what

you push me i push you

then after kaypoh kaypoh ... hug&kiss to make good [laugh]

 

Once a while, needs some tit-for-tat to spice up the relationship :D

just like husband and wife ... errr, just that dunno who hubby and wifey in this case :D

 

ok ok , everything is good lah, we can all sit down and eat "Cat Mountain King" durians lah :D

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sgp garmen cleverer than malaysian..

tit-for-tat, we have the means to play, they don't.

their citizens will complain cos they need to travel to sgp for work.. in the end, who suffer, their ppl.

 

Well said. Let MY be warned that sinkie are used to getting their pockets raped on a regular basis. Another session is no pain.

 

Anyway, really catch no bola what that guy is writing? Is it google translate from malay?

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http://www.establishmentpost.com/johor-bahru-singapore-travel-costs-taking-a-toll/

 

Angela Ng has been living in Johor Bahru and driving to work in Singapore daily for the last 24 years. She has put up with about six hours of sleep each night because of the long travel time and the agony of sitting in long jams, and has dodged reckless motorcyclists to avoid accidents. But the one thing she will not put up with is another round of increases in her commuting cost.

“My option is clear. If I have to spend more money to travel I will resign, although I feel I can still continue to work”, the 58-year-old accountant told The Establishment Post by phone from Johor Bahru.

On August 1 the toll from the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (CIQ) on the Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Link Expressway (EDL) increased at varied rates depending on the type of vehicle using the road. On that same day the Singapore government increased the vehicle entry permit (VEP) fee from S$ 20 to S$ 35 daily (RM 51 to RM 88.40).

“I can understand the reason for the CIQ toll increase, but the amount is quite ridiculous”, sayid Ms Ng. The increase in toll charges will affect Ms Ng, but not the increase in the Singapore VEP. She has Singapore permanent resident (PR) status and drives a Singapore-registered car.Singapore-COE-300x186.png

But her woes and those of thousands of others will start at the end of the year when Malaysia is forecast to impose its own VEP, which is speculated to be at least RM 50 per entry. This means an additional RM 310 (US$ 98) per month for Ms Ng and others like her.

The ones most affected are those who commute daily to Singapore using Malaysia-registered cars and there are some 13,000 of them. They will need to fork out an extra RM 760 (US$ 241) per month under the new fee structure.

Limited options

For those not wanting to pay the increased fees one option is to live and work in Singapore, though Saminathan Munisamy feels it is a bad idea because of the huge spike in rental rates in the island republic over the last few years.

He said in 2006 rental for a small room with no attached bathroom was S$ 200, but it is now S$ 800. He should know, he lived in Singapore for three years when he first started working there in 2006.

Msian-cars-JB-SG-300x215.jpg

Mr Munisamy, a 39-year-old manager in a manufacturing company also has Singapore PR and travels to work daily from Johor Bahru in his Singapore-registered car.

“Even if it gets more costly to travel to Singapore I will continue working there and living here,” he told The Establishment Post by phone from Johor Bahru.

When asked if getting a job in Malaysia is an option he can consider he said, “It would be hard for me to get a job in Johor Bahru because I work in a company that produces precision tools for the oil and gas sector.

“Unless I start a grocery shop in Johor Bahru there is no other option for me”, he said.

Another option is for Malaysians to ditch their Malaysian registered cars and opt for motorcycles instead. Those using motorcycles only have to pay VEP of RM 10.26 daily or RM 225.72 a month (US$ 3.26 and US$ 71.61)”, though Ms Ng said, “This will add to the traffic congestion”.

Over the last year she says there has been a spike in the number of motorcycles on the Causeway and this has made her daily travel to Singapore slower. “I used to leave the house at 6.30am for work, but over the last year I have to leave by 5.30am. Otherwise I will be caught in the jam for three hours.”

The only other option is to use the Second Link located 24km away from Johor Bahru and which ends on the western part of the island. The toll charges per day there are RM 15.60 and VEP S$ 3,5 making a round trip cost of RM 104 (US$ 33) – almost the same as what the travel cost is now using the Causeway.Spore-cars-JB-SG-300x190.jpg

Cost transfer likely

More than 60,000 vehicles – motorcycles (58 per cent), cars (36 per cent), buses (2.5 per cent), heavy trucks (2 per cent), light trucks (1 per cent) and taxis (0.5per cent) – use the Causeway every day according to the EDL website.

In addition to cars, vans, transport lorries, and buses have also had the toll charges increased. This affects about 310,000 Malaysians who commute to Singapore daily. Of this about 200,000 work in factories and in the service sector, though most of them travel in buses provided by their employers.

There is a possibility that employers could transfer some of the increased travel cost to the workers. Then there are the school buses that ferry children from Johor Bahru to schools in Singapore each day and these bus companies may also look at increasing school bus fares.

Eastern Dispersal Link

The EDL is a two-year-old, dual three-lane 8.1km (5 mile)partially elevated expressway that cost RM 1.4 billion (S$ 440 million) (including land acquisition), making it one of the most expensive highways in Malaysia at RM 172.8 million (US$55 million) per kilometre .

The expressway connects the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex in Johor Bahru to the North-South Highway that stretches up to Kuala Lumpur and to Bukit Kayu Hitam near the Malaysia-Thailand border.

It is operated by MRCB Lingkaran Selatan Sdn Bhd who were awarded 34 year design-build-operate-maintain (DBOM) concession in 2007. Since September 2012 when the EDL was completed the Malaysian government has been paying RM 11 million (US$ 3.485 million) a month to compensation

MRCB for keeping the EDL toll-free.

The Malaysian government had wanted the EDL to be toll free so as not to burden the public and had also planned to takeover the EDL. But a two-year study by the government found that the cost of acquiring it would be to huge a cost, so has allowed the MRCB to start collecting tolls. This is the reason for the sudden increase imposed at the CIQ Complex at the Causeway.

 

More to come, less to spend

Malaysia is planning to introduce a VEP charge in the later part of this year which is expected to be RM 50 (US$ 15.90) per entry. Singapore’s Land and Transport Authority (SLTA) has issued a statement that toll increase on its side will be within weeks and there have been reports that it will be S$ 6.40 (RM 16.15) – five times the present amount.

For someone earning RM 7,570 (S$ 3,000) a month who commutes daily by car, the extra RM 310 or RM 760 they have to cough out each month is a hefty sum, which will increase with the increase in Singapore toll, and the introduction of a Malaysian VEP and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) scheduled for April next year.

The result will be a reduction in workers’ disposable income, which the retail sector may start feeling the effects of within months. What will hasten the decline in sales for the retail industry is that the number of Singapore shoppers who head across during weekends and long holidays will start shrinking.

As to how much the Johor retail industry will fall is hard to say, but figures of 25 per cent and 40 per cent have been bandied about. This will be detrimental to the local industry, with the snowball effect being inevitable.

 

Need to raise wages

The number of Singaporeans buying properties in Iskandar and parts of Johor Bahru has been increasing, especially in the last few years. Iskandar has schools using Singapore curriculum, top-notch hospitals and other facilities, with extra security. This has raised the cost of living in Johor Bahru, making it hard for locals to cope and the situation will only get worse.

The state and federal governments also have to realise that Iskandar’s workforce, especially the lower levels, come from the locals and if the cost of living takes a chunk out of their salaries, these workers are likely to move elsewhere where their disposable income is greater.

Both levels of government have to find ways to make it easier for Johoreans to cope and at the same time boost Johor’s development. The wages in Iskandar need to be able to absorb the higher cost of living too.

Johor and Singapore can also discuss relocation of factories and offices in the island republic to Iskandar and other parts of Johor under special arrangements, with Malaysians then able to enjoy Singapore wages on Malaysian soil. At the rate things are going Johor Bahru is going to be an expensive city, maybe even more than Kuala Lumpur. If costs cannot be kept low, then wages should be higher. Otherwise, the Johor government will be stuck with a dying city.

Edited by Herz22
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Ms Ng ... well, you have enjoyed the perks for 24 years ....

somemore what you want? muahahaha

 

spore 1 : 0 msia because

 

"Even if it gets more costly to travel to Singapore I will continue working there and living here”

Edited by Wt_know
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Aiyoo.. dont challenge our leeches lah. Wait they really implement then how? Its just a flick of a switch u noe? All the infra already there, and its not even 15 sep yet!

Aiyoo.. dont challenge our leeches lah. Wait they really implement then how? Its just a flick of a switch u noe? All the infra already there, and its not even 15 sep yet!

Aiyoo.. dont challenge our leeches lah. Wait they really implement then how? Its just a flick of a switch u noe? All the infra already there, and its not even 15 sep yet!

Aiyoo.. dont challenge our leeches lah. Wait they really implement then how? Its just a flick of a switch u noe? All the infra already there, and its not even 15 sep yet!

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At least one thing is certain, we can definitely expect some heads in LTA to roll due to the on-off toll increase fiasco.

 

 

Ahhahahaaha stupid fugger born yesterday. Even his own gahment also heads don't roll.

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