VEP information counter in Singapore quietly opens in Woodlands industrial park

The Malaysia VEP information counter in Singapore has opened in a Woodlands industrial park without any announcement.

The information counter for drivers in Singapore to make enquiries regarding Malaysia's Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) has opened for operations on Monday, Aug 19. The counter is located in an office at 186 Woodlands Industrial Park E5, #03-01R under the name MY VEP Pte Ltd and is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Although Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced the opening of the information counter at the beginning of August, no official announcement or update was made surrounding the location or types of services the information counter would offer.

Despite the lack of information, when Motorist visited the information counter at 3:30pm, Monday (Aug 19), there was a crowd gathered outside the door trying to gain entry into the office. There was also a steady stream of new drivers arriving to the office. Small signs had been printed with "Sorry, queue number is finished today" on one side and "Malaysia VEP inquiry counter, 100 tickets per day" on the other. 

However, a member of staff was on hand to inform drivers that they had finished giving out queue numbers for the day. Visitors were also told they could leave their contact information or come back again the next day. The same staff member was also trying to address initial questions that the crowd had.

Motorist has learned that the Woodlands location is purely an enquiry centre to guide drivers in Singapore who have issues with applying for the VEP online without having to travel to Johor Bahru. Drivers will not be able to collect or install their VEP tags at the office. 

Several members of the public expressed frustration at the VEP application process and lack of transparency and clarity throughout. A few also lamented that they had been plagued by a lack of replies from the Malaysian authorities and issues with the VEP website. 

Malaysia announced earlier this year that all foreign-registered vehicles entering the country via the land checkpoints from Singapore will be required to use VEPs from Oct 1. 

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This article was first published in Motorist.