S’pore, Malaysia to increase cross-border taxi quota to 500 each; allow passenger drop-offs anywhere

The statement did not say when these announcements would come into effect.

Both countries will also work towards improving the insurance coverage of cross-border taxis, and speeding up claims processing in the event of an accident, it added.

They also agreed to work towards a regulatory regime for cross-border ride-hail and e-hailing platforms and to clearly identify licensed cross-border taxis.

Mr Loke and Mr Siow acknowledged the demand for more convenient cross-border transport services.

To meet this demand, and to curb the provision of illegal services, they agreed for the Land Public Transport Agency of Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority to continue close discussions on enhancements to the cross-border taxi scheme, to achieve these outcomes.

This comes after several months of discussions. The issue of unmet demand for legal cross-border taxi services surfaced in mid-2025, after the Singapore authorities

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The clampdown came after ride-hailing drivers in Singapore tipped off the authorities that Malaysia-registered cars were turning up at locations like Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay to ferry passengers within Singapore.

The two countries will also work towards enhancing cross-border bus services for tourism, the statement said.

Both ministers have asked their countries’ agencies to work towards aligning their regulatory regimes and to do so “in the spirit of reciprocity”.

The statement noted that besides taxi services, travellers from both countries rely on cross-border bus services for tourism, including to destinations beyond Johor Bahru.

“While these options have served travellers well, both ministers recognised that a wider range of services can make bus travel a more attractive option.”

These enhancements and principles agreed to by both ministers reflect both countries’ continued commitment to improving cross-border connectivity and the commuting experience for travellers between Singapore and Malaysia.

The statement added that officials from both countries will keep up their close engagement, and work expeditiously towards an agreement on and implementation of enhancements to cross-border taxi and bus services.

It noted that land transport links between Singapore and Malaysia are among the busiest in the world, reflecting the strong business linkages and people-to-people ties.

Further improvements to the convenience of cross-border passenger transport services can benefit both travellers and facilitate fairer competition between transport providers and drivers in both countries, it said.