With the fiasco of RFID on the PLUS North-South highway, after the concessionaire forced the implementation of the system on road users, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said road users must be given the option of using either the Radio Frequency Identification system, Touch ‘n Go, or SmartTAG at toll gates.
The decision was made by the Cabinet which was in view that road users must be given a choice, just like how it was practiced when TNG was introduced in its early years and cash payments were still allowed to continue.
“Users must be given the freedom whether to use RFID, Touch ‘n Go or SmartTAG,” he told reporters after the launch of the Keluarga Several toll plazas in the Klang Valley reportedly experienced traffic congestion, especially on Monday, after the RFID system failed to function smoothly.
Toll transactions using RFID for private light vehicles (Class 1) were implemented on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) route from the Juru toll plaza in Penang to the Skudai toll plaza in Johor from 10 pm on Jan 15. The RFID system allows motorists to enjoy a smoother journey without having to stop, drive through the RFID lane at a speed of 30 kph as well as carry out contactless toll transactions.
The RFID also offers digital cash security and cashless top-up through the use of Touch ‘n Go e-Wallet without having to go to the top-up counter.
Ismail Sabri said the RFID, which was introduced to speed up traveling time, was a good suggestion but motorists must also be given an option since the RFID was a pioneer project and would need time to be fine-tuned.
“If it is a pilot project, it will take time… after several months then we will leave it to the motorists to decide. Eventually, if the RFID facilitates their journey, they will migrate to the RFID,” he said. Ismail Sabri said the highway concessionaires should retain the lanes for TNG and SmartTag users.
“Don’t make it all RFID. If there are 10 lanes, maybe several lanes for RFID, and the rest should be for TnG and SmartTAG. We don’t want to pressure motorists,” he said.
Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof would be tasked to inform the concessionaires of the decision.
