Open payment system for public transport services besides TNG - Loke

SEPANG, March 20 (Bernama) -- An open payment system for transport services, especially those under Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, will be implemented soon, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said. 

He said this would essentially allow commuters to use their credit or debit cards, in addition to Touch 'n Go cards, to pay for public transport services. 

“This will give users other choices besides Touch 'n Go,” he said in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement yesterday that the government will review Touch 'n Go’s monopoly on toll road payments on the grounds that its system lacked significant progress and development. 

Speaking to the media at the launch of the Premium Lounge Plaza at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here today, Loke said Anwar’s statement does not mean Touch 'n Go’s services will be ended. 

“We do not intend to end Touch 'n Go’s services, so please don’t say that we are trying to kill off Touch 'n Go. It’s just that Touch 'n Go will be one of several payment options rather than just the only one now,” he said, while adding that users have been lamenting that they were short of choices when paying for public transport services and highway tolls. 

Loke said the prime minister has instructed that the matter be discussed in the Cabinet and that the matter needs an urgent solution to make room for other payment systems.

He said Prasarana has been instructed to implement an open payment method and they need time to integrate the system.

Public transport services that use Touch 'n Go as a mode of payment include Prasarana bus services, Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB).

-- BERNAMA