Concerned leaders: (From left) Chia, Ravindran and Leong.
JOHOR BARU: The implementation of the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) since Tuesday has affected the number of Singaporeans coming into Johor, according to business groups here.
They said despite assurance from the authorities that motorists whose VEP applications are still in progress will not face any action, the impact is already being felt.
Malaysia Budget and Business Hotel Association (MyBHA) Johor Chapter chairman Jarod Chia said that he had received reports from his members about a lower occupancy rate, especially for those operating in Johor Baru town.
“Some of our members have seen a significant drop in the number of guests this weekend, which is very concerning as the occupancy rate for hotels in Johor Baru is normally high during the weekends.
“Most hotels here are counting on the high occupancy rate on the weekend and school holidays as it can be challenging for them to get enough bookings on weekdays,” he said in an interview.
Chia said he hopes that any issues concerning the VEP would be resolved soon.
“I believe things will eventually return to normal as Singaporeans are still keen on spending their time and doing their shopping here.
“The lower number of people coming in will only be a temporary thing, but the sooner it is resolved, the less businesses here will suffer,” he added.
Johor Indian Petty Traders and Small Business Association chairman D. Ravindran said the crowd is expected to return in the next few weeks.
“There has been less of a crowd this week, and this may continue for a few more weeks.
“Although this is temporary, it is still very damaging to local businesses and Johor’s economy,” he said, adding that he hopes the issue can be resolved quickly.
Johor Tourist Guides Association chairman Jimmy Leong said he hopes the intervention from Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi would help ease things.
“I have received a lot of feedback from Singaporeans who are upset with the implementation of the VEP, and this has caused damage to a certain extent as bad news travels faster than good news.
“I hope that all the agencies involved as well as the state government can work together to resolve this and ensure that businesses in Johor Baru are not disrupted.
“While they (Singaporeans) have been given a window period to settle this issue, we should make sure that the process is conducive,” he said.
Leong added that it was also important for the authorities to reassure Singaporeans that they would not face any issues if they entered Malaysia while waiting for the application of their VEP to be completed.
On Thursday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said Singapore motorists whose VEP applications were being processed would not face any action from the authorities at either of Johor’s land checkpoints.
However, he urged them to still apply for the permit soon despite being allowed to enter and exit Johor following the VEP enforcement date on Oct 1.
“The government introduced the VEP in 2019, but the enforcement was delayed due to technical issues. We have given ample time,” Loke had said.
