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THINKING ALOUD

How to fix the COE system

What kind of COE you bid for should depend on what kind of person you are

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    • Ordinary people need cars. Yet, the fundamental flaw of the COE system is that it ignores this human element.
    • Ordinary people need cars. Yet, the fundamental flaw of the COE system is that it ignores this human element. PHOTO: BT FILE

    Leow Ju-Len

    Published Tue, Jun 2, 2026 · 07:15 AM

    A CAR’S Certificate of Entitlement (COE) now reliably costs six figures. Darn that Joe Biden. 

    But this situation is obviously untenable, because who can come up with six figures for the pleasure of driving a Chinese EV?

    It’s not as if cars are a special privilege reserved for the elites of society. We have Good Class Bungalows for that. 

    Thinking AloudCOECarsCar sales

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