Malaysian government officials will meet with their Singaporean counterparts to discuss and clarify the toll charge implementation at the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex, The Star reports.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said that the Transport and Foreign Ministries would meet with Singaporean officials as soon as possible to convince Singapore to reconsider its decision to increase the toll price starting 1st Oct 2014.
He said the meeting was to clear the air over the matter as Singapore’s reason for the toll hike at its checkpoint, to match Malaysia’s toll charge at the CIQ, was unjustified.
“We have to meet them personally to rectify their perception that Malaysia introduced a new charge at the CIQ to pay the concessionaire and to upgrade the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) and it should not be an excuse for them (Singapore) to increase their toll charge,” said Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong in a statement.
The Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it had been a long-standing policy for Singapore to match the toll set by Malaysia at the Causeway and Second Link.
The new rates will see all motorists including buses, taxis and commercial vehicles except motorcyclists paying toll as they enter and leave Singapore. Currently, only motorists are required to pay for toll as they leave Singapore.
The toll charges for cars will rise from S$1.20 (RM3.03) to S$6.50 (RM16.44) while the charges for vans and light goods vehicles will increase from S$1.90 (RM4.81) to S$9.80 (RM24.79).
The charges for heavy goods vehicles will also go up from S$2.60 (RM6.58) to S$13.00 (RM32.88).
Meanwhile, taxis will have to pay S$3.30 (RM8.35) instead of the current S$0.60 (RM1.52) while buses will have to pay S$5.30 (RM13.40) instead of the current S$1.00 (RM2.53).
Souce: The Star
