This will be in effect from April 1 until April 7, according to the transport ministry.

Border controls brought by the pandemic are being eased from April 1.

In a statement released today, transport minister Wee Ka Siong said the decision to provide the exemption was made after taking into account the two-year-long Malaysia-Singapore border closure, when Singaporeans were unable to enter the country.

As such, they were unable to top up their Touch ’n Go cards. As a result, their cards would have expired during that period.

“After discussing with Johor menteri besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, I have agreed to exempt the road charge payment for all cars with Singaporean registration numbers for seven days — from April 1 until April 7.

“The exemption is to prevent congestion on both sides of the border entry points in Malaysia and Singapore (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar Customs and Sultan Abu Bakar CIQ Complex) due to a lack of balance in Singaporean drivers’ Touch ’n Go cards.”

Wee hoped the exemption period would be used by all Singaporean drivers to top up or get new Touch ’n Go cards, and register or instal RFID VEP tags on their cars.

Singaporean cars that have registered for RFID VEP tags and had them installed will be exempted from the road charge payment as well.

This exemption, according to Wee, was being implemented under Section 88E of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333).

The road charge payment would be reimposed from April 8.