Today in the news
Sigh...... Hope it doesn't apply to bikers.
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http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,122384,00.html?
WANT to drive to Malaysia?
You may soon have to pay an entry fee of RM20 ($8.70).
No announcements have yet been made about when this fee will be implemented.
New Straits Times reported that the Immigration Department of Malaysia has already installed special gantries and electronic payment card readers at the Causeway and Second Link.
The devices are functional and can be activated any time.
Malaysian Minister of Tourism Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansur (right) said at a press conference yesterday that implementing an entry fee to Malaysia for Singaporeans shouldn't in any way dampen their holiday mood.
He said that Singaporeans would 'slowly get used to' the idea of having to pay an entrance fee to Malaysia, reported Lianhe Zaobao.
He added that because of the Malaysian government's subsidies, the price of petrol and other necessities are considerably lower. (So are the quality of some of these items!!!)
When Singaporeans drive to Malaysia to shop, they also benefit from these lower prices.
He added: 'So they really shouldn't begrudge having to pay a small fee.'
He also pointed out that Malaysian cars entering Singapore must also pay $20 when they cross the border.
No fees are levied on weekends and public holidays.
'This is not a small sum when you convert it to ringgit, and you don't hear Malaysian drivers complaining about it,' he said.
Last April, The Straits Times reported that foreign motorists entering Malaysia from Thailand or Singapore would likely have to pay a RM20 fuel levy for entering the country, regardless of the number of days they remain there.
But Tengku Adnan said last year that he does not expect the introduction of an entry fee to affect visitor numbers from Thailand and Singapore.
Some 9 million Singaporean tourists are expected to have visited Malaysia last year, and it is gunning for 10 million Singaporean visitors this year with a RM200 million promotional budget.
Malaysian Deputy Home Affairs Minister Tan Chai Ho said last year that the mechanics of the fee system were still being worked out.
But to prevent traffic congestion for cars entering Malaysia, the fee would be charged when cars exited Malaysia instead of when they entered.
He added that the fee would likely be collected via a prepaid card which would be available at petrol stations and convenience shops.
'The use of a prepaid card would help prevent long queues,' he said. (Right.... So where do we top up?? So it's juz moving / adding another queue to somewhere else??)
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Another new about Malaysia.
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http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,122385,00.html?
16 handicapped bikers caught for daredevil stunts
THEIR death-defying motorcycle stunts landed them in the soup.
Sixteen bike-stunt hobbyists were stopped by the police from practising their tricks on Sunday in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
But to the police's surprise, they were no ordinary drivers.
All were disabled.
Among them was a youth who had deformities in his hands and also could not walk properly. He was performing a bike stunt when the police caught him.
When in custody, police found that the youth's fingers were abnormal - they were much shorter than usual. He also had a limp.
No details were given on the other suspects' disabilities.
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Another news abt MY
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ELSEWHERE IN KL...
A motorist who was robbed of his waistpouch by two fake policemen decided to get even.
Not only did he give chase in his car - he decided to run them over.
He had stopped his car by the roadside to make a call at 3.15am last Sunday when two robbers approached him, reported Sin Chew Daily.
They asked him to hand over his waistpouch and handphone, and he obeyed.
But he wasn't about to give up without a fight.
As the two robbers fled on a motorcycle, he got back in his car, gave chase and knocked them down. One of the robbers, who was riding pillion, fell off the motorcycle and was pinned under the car. The other fled with the waistpouch.
When the police arrived, the remaining 22-year-old robber had been seriously injured and was taken to hospital.
He died two hours later.
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Sometimes car drivers also try to do that if you over take them.
:D
