In the words of a Malaysian friend duo, who are also video creators, here’s an expensive lesson on how to lose RM 10,000 ($2,700) in just 2 hours.
It’s as simple as forgetting to scan your Autopass card when travelling with your vehicle between Malaysia and Singapore.
The 26-year-old Mr Bah Wei Jun visited Singapore four months ago in August between 22 and 24 Aug, according to an interview with Today Online.
Following their return to Malaysia, they visited Singapore again on 10 Dec planning to leave on the same day.
As they normally would, they drove to the Tuas Checkpoint and scanned their Autopass card.
According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), any foreign-registered vehicle entering Singapore must have a valid Autopass Card, insurance, road tax, and an approval email from the LTA.
The Autopass Card acts as an electronic Vehicle Entry Permit and is used to record a vehicle’s entry into Singapore and to pay all associated entry and exit fees.
However, for Mr Bah and his companion, the scanning of their Autopass card at the checkpoint brought an unexpected and expensive surprise.
They were stopped by LTA staff who informed them that they had an outstanding fee of $2,700 (RM10,000) and would not be allowed to return to Malaysia until the fines were cleared.
Confused, Mr Bah uploaded a video on 16 Dec explaining the situation.
He claimed that the LTA’s system had erroneously failed to record their vehicle’s departure from Singapore since August.
He suggested that LTA check with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) to confirm that they hadn’t been in Singapore for that duration.
He also offered his passport as evidence of his departure in August and recent return.
However, his appeals were rejected.
The LTA officials argued that the passport only proved Mr Bah’s movements, not those of his car.
After a two-hour standoff, Mr Bah was faced with a tough decision: pay the hefty fee or have his car confiscated, which would leave him unable to return home.
Reluctantly, he chose to pay the $2,700 upfront, intending to appeal to the LTA later.
Mr Bah’s story raised several points of contention among netizens who sympathised with his plight.
Firstly, if there had been an issue with his Autopass card, his previous entries and exits from Singapore would not have been as seamless, especially considering his entry on 10 Dec.
Secondly, not all immigration officers remind drivers to scan their Autopass cards, and some don’t prompt at all.
When the duo requested the LTA officers to check their ICA records, their request was denied due to the use of different databases.
Two days after the incident, on 12 Dec, Mr Bah sent an appeal email to the LTA, but as of now, there has been no response.
Mr Bah’s video, with its catchy caption stating they used the $2,700 to “buy a chance” to highlight system loopholes, has since garnered almost 30,000 likes.
With more upgrading works happening at the checkpoints, it is important, as Mr Bah said, to check carefully that all passes have been correctly scanned and recorded.
Otherwise, just as the post is tagged:
Goodbye, 10K.