I'm referrring to the S$25 PSV license Malaysian (and a small number of Thai registered coaches) coaches has to pay in order to be allowed to enter Singapore.
This includes the Malaysian Yellow public bus that plies in particularly between Kranji & JB (CW1) and Queen St & JB (CW2).
They're competing with SBS and SJE respectively (not to mention the subsidised diesel and so on) yet they SBS & SJE are made to pay $1100 PSV road tax a year instead.
I received an reply from MOT saying that it cannot be compared as the Malaysian buses are only allowed to stop at 'designated' locations in Singapore.
Yeah, that means our SJE in particular should be paying S$25 road tax instead as well since the CW2's 'designated' location is the same as SJE.
I think SJE should consider relocating the business to register at JB instead since there's this loophole. Everything is still lower cost in Malaysia.
Our Singapore government has well forgotten how humiliated they were when Maersk & Evergreen left PSA thanks to it's stubborn stance over shipping rates (rates was only lowered when other lines threatened to follow suit). Needless to mention the head of PSA then was an ex - defence minister back in the 1990s who said "We do not compete with prices.".
I think they deserve to taste it one more time to realise their policy need to evolve around Singaporeans and not expecting Singaporeans evolve around it. It's not as if there's loopholes around.
Instead of collecting less, people relocate elsewhere and forget about collecting taxes and Singaporeans being employed.
Needless to mention they still believe the cramped New Boon Lay Bus Int is mindful of commuters needs. So who takes public transport daily? Those scholars who rarely take public transportation or the thousands of ordinary Singaporeans and bus drivers whose breaks are forfeited who have to face this?
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