MCA: Charge levy instead

2008/06/04

MCA: Charge levy instead

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign cars should be charged a levy upon entry into Malaysia instead of banning them from refuelling within a 50km radius from the border, suggested a MCA leader yesterday.

MCA Cheras service centre director Dr Jeffrey Goh said it was more practical to impose the levy, like the S$20 (RM46.60) per entry into Singapore Malaysians pay, rather than monitoring all 300 petrol stations near the border to ensure they abide by the law.

"Singaporean cars must enter Malaysia with their car tanks three-quarters full.

"This means that cashing in on cheaper petrol is not on their agenda."

Goh said Singaporeans usually crossed the borders for tourism or business.
He argued that if the ban on sale of subsidised petrol to foreigners continued, the economy in Johor would suffer.

"The 50km radius for the ban covers a huge area. Part of the Iskandar Malaysia is within this 'no refuelling' zone.

"How can we attract Singaporean investors if we don't allow them to refuel their cars here?" said Goh, who is also the entrepreneur who brought in Manhattan Fish Market, Tony Roma's and the Sushi Groove chain of restaurants to Singapore and Ma-laysia.

Goh believed many Singaporeans would be more than willing to pay the levy as their currency was more than twice the value of the ringgit.

"This way, Singaporeans who drive beyond Johor for holidays would also be paying for their use of subsidised fuel in other parts of Malaysia."

Goh also hoped the Transport Ministry would look into creating a registration system for Malaysian citizens who drive Singaporean cars or hold Singapore permanent residence, so that they too could be exempted from the ruling.

Goh said that although an increase in petrol prices was inevitable, he hoped the government would do so with the welfare of the lower-income groups in mind.

"I hope the government will channel the billions saved towards supplementing the income of poor families.

"The money should also go towards improving our public transport system," he said.