{
  "id": 16882102,
  "title": "S'pore man says he was stopped at JB checkpoint & had to pay S$18.40 duty on speaker bought 2 years ago",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/spore-man-says-he-was-stopped-at-jb-checkpoint-had-to-pay-s-18-40",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T10:18:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Mothership",
    "slug": "mothership",
    "url": "https://mothership.sg/2026/10/man-jb-pay-tax-2-year-speaker/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Malaysian man, Norvin Ong, shared his experience on TikTok about being stopped by Malaysian customs at the Johor Bahru checkpoint and being required to pay a tax on a speaker he had purchased two years ago. Ong, 36, was on his way to Johor Bahru to dine when he was pulled over at the checkpoint. The officers demanded to see the receipt for the speaker, which Ong claimed he could not locate as he had purchased it in 2024. After finding the receipt in his possession, the officers informed Ong that he was required to pay a 10 percent duty on the speaker, costing him S$18.40 (RM59). Ong, who typically paid for goods in Malaysia using the Touch 'n Go contactless system, opted to pay using his Visa card instead. The officers then instructed him to wait until midnight for his credit card system to restart before he could complete the transaction. Ong paid the tax and left the scene. In his video, Ong expressed his confusion over the situation, questioning why a 2-year-old item should be subject to taxation. Many netizens reacted with similar confusion, expressing disbelief that a item purchased years ago could still be taxable. The Royal Malaysian Customs Department confirmed that all travellers entering or leaving Malaysia must declare all taxable items, prohibited items, cash, and negotiable monetary instruments (NMI) they are carrying or placing in their luggage or vehicles. The department also stated that goods worth up to RM500 (S$156.39) are exempt for travellers entering Malaysia by land.",
  "summary": "The duty came up to 10 per cent of the speaker's retail price.",
  "key_points": [
    "Malaysian man Norvin Ong stopped at Johor Bahru checkpoint.",
    "Had to pay S$18.40 duty on 2-year-old speaker.",
    "Customs confirmed all taxable items must be declared."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Strict enforcement of customs declarations at the Johor Bahru checkpoint forces travelers to account for personal belongings regardless of their age to avoid unexpected duty charges.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}