How Should We Prepare For A Fuss Free Driving Adventure To Malaysia?

It almost sounded too good to be true for drivers when authorities announced that fully vaccinated travellers are able to cross land borders between Singapore and Malaysia in their own vehicles from the 1st of April, without the need for quarantine. For the purpose of this article, we will focus on how drivers in Singapore with Singapore-registered vehicles can prepare for a driving trip to Malaysia. As with any road trip, we will be thrown with curveballs. We reckon that over and beyond our suggestions, it is recommended to keep an open mind, and always be on the lookout for any new updates from the authorities. For now, we should just celebrate the fact that after two long years, we are only a few days away from establishing another avenue that can rediscover our sense of adventure!

Gerald Yuen

28 Mar 2022

As with any road trip, we will be thrown with curveballs. We reckon that over and beyond our suggestions, it is recommended to keep an open mind, and always be on the lookout for any new updates from the authorities. These suggestions are by no means exhaustive - they serve as a way to chart our thought processes when prepping for a drive to Malaysia. For now, we should just celebrate the fact that after two long years, we are only a few days away from establishing another avenue that can rediscover our sense of adventure!

Where do we even start?

Upon hearing the announcement, you instinctively reach out for your dust-covered luggage and start to visualise a road trip. Should I start off with a slow, scenic drive to Desaru? Or do I venture further North to Fraser’s Hill, and make a pit stop at Genting Highlands? Before we let our adrenaline get the better of us, we highly recommend visiting the Road Transport Department of Malaysia’s website to apply for a Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP). There were reports that this scheme was delayed even before the pre-pandemic era, but it is now in full effect.

Register for an account on the website, key in your personal details and pay special attention to your email account, because a confirmation slip will be emailed to you. To ensure that you have the details needed for registration, you can log in to OneMotoring’s website and request for your vehicle’s log card. Even if you encountered technical difficulties along the way, we highly recommend to screenshot and print out any evidence to show the authorities that you have attempted to secure a VEP.

We should not also discount the fact that there might be changes leading up to 1 April due to anticipated high volumes of vehicles crossing the border. Therefore, we suggest even keeping an eye on the Road Transport Department of Malaysia’s official social media handles like Instagram for any last minute quick and urgent announcements.

I've secured the VEP, what's next?

In an ideal scenario, you received an email from the Road Transport Department of Malaysia approving your VEP application and printed out a couple of copies just in case. Next, we suggest sourcing for a Touch ‘n Go card. Touch ‘n Go functions similarly to Singapore’s EZ-Link - it is used as a mode of payment for tollways and selected carparks, along with other benefits like for public transport and “retail therapy”. But these cards are available in official stores in Malaysia, which will be too late and risky should you depend on this method to pay for toll fees. Thankfully, we can pop over to these 7-Eleven outlets in Singapore to secure an EZ-Link x Touch ‘n Go Motoring Card - a very timely collaboration that works as a dual-currency cross-border contactless smart card.

Another aspect to consider will be to present some form of confirmation that you have been fully vaccinated, since only fully vaccinated travellers are able to cross the land borders in their own vehicles. A check on Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website did not reveal a portion specifically for this method of entry, but we reckon that one should still capture screenshots of your official vaccination certificate, or even print them out and present them to officers when prompted.

We’ve got them sorted, what should we prepare next?

We psyche ourselves up for the most anticipated road trip in two years, pack our bags and drive to the checkpoint, only to realise that the Three-Quarter Tank Rule still exists. If you are driving a car equipped with an internal combustion engine, surely the temptation is there to secure a 75% fuel level with pinpoint accuracy. But we would recommend factoring in a buffer, pumping more fuel due to anticipated queues at the checkpoints, at least for the first couple of weeks from 1 April.

The preparation done so far should allow us to drive across the border hassle free. Now let's lay the groundwork for a couple of road trip tips - these should apply to any road trip, but we have tweaked it to accommodate Singapore - Malaysia road adventures. Some of these can be pretty obvious, but let’s still not take them for granted! The aim will be to reduce as many uncertainties as we can - essential for optimal concentration during longer drives.

*If you are sourcing for an ideal road trip car, you can start shortlisting with help from Carousell.

Tip

Why is it important? Get sufficient sleep before your drive If you’re planning a trip to Malacca for example, the distance between Woodlands Checkpoint and Jonker Street Night Market is 222km (2.5 hours drive), excluding extended lengthy waiting times at the border. Sure, you can pop by rest stops if you are tired, but it is highly advisable to stay alert especially on less-than-familiar roads. Pay attention to your driving posture We might not feel the effects of a less-than-ideal seating position during 5-minute grocery runs. But we might regret not adjusting our seat to a position that maximises blood flow - essential for extended drives. If we want to challenge ourselves to a non-stop 4.5-hour drive to Genting Highlands, this is a must. Make a road trip playlist before the drive It can be tempting to toggle with music on streaming platforms during a long drive, but that can be very dangerous. Create a playlist of songs you love - these selections should also keep you energised. If you’re planning a direct 3.5-hour drive to Port Dickson, just make sure that your playlist lasts longer than the journey! Eat right! This can be one of the hardest tips to recommend - we are also tempted by binge-snacking or overloading on fizzy drinks. But these actions could cause severe bloatedness and affect your concentration during the drive. Consume less healthy snacks in moderation, or tuck into some fruits if possible in between drives to cure hunger pangs. Or are you able to hold out until you reach a top-rated bak kut teh stall in KL? Rest stops are crucial! Do not be too “garang” if fatigue sets in. Rather than race against time, pop over to a rest stop for a good stretch, wash your face or even take a short nap if possible. Driving under extreme exhaustion endangers you, your passengers and fellow road users.

Credits: Gerald Yuen