This is subject to the effective implementation of safeguards against illegal domestic trips and insurance requirements.
“As a start, each country will provide an additional quota of 100, prioritised for larger and more premium vehicles that can address the needs of larger groups and business travellers,” the transport ministries of the two nations said in a joint statement today.
These are among the areas that the ministers have agreed for Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency (Apad) and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) to continue close discussions, particularly on enhancements to the cross-border taxi scheme.
It follows a meeting between transport minister Loke Siew Fook and Singapore’s acting transport minister, Jeffrey Siow, on Thursday, held as part of the 12th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat in Singapore, to discuss efforts to strengthen transport links between the two countries.
Under the revised rules, foreign taxis will be allowed to drop off passengers anywhere outside their home country, but may only pick up passengers at designated points.
“We will gradually increase the number of pick-up points for ride-hail or e-hailing app bookings,” the statement read.
To support enforcement against illegal domestic point-to-point trips, licensed taxis must be clearly identifiable by livery, a tamper-proof vehicle plate with a predefined prefix and topper, and will also be required to install Singapore’s ERP2 on-board unit for entry into Singapore.
Both countries also agreed to work towards a regulatory regime for cross-border ride-hail and e-hailing platforms, improve insurance coverage for taxis, and speed up claims processing in the event of an accident.
The two ministers have tasked Apad and LTA to work towards aligning regulatory regimes to enhance cross-border bus services for tourism.
“These enhancements and principles agreed to by both ministers reflect our continued commitment to improving cross-border connectivity and the commuting experience for travellers between Singapore and Malaysia,” the statement added.