Mulai 23 Februari, TNG Digital Sdn Bhd (TNGD) akan melaksanakan caj satu peratus bagi semua tambah nilai Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG eWallet) menggunakan kad kredit. Transaksi melalui kad debit dan DuitNow akan terus kekal percuma.
Keputusan ini, menurut Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif TNGD, Alan Ni, bertujuan untuk menangani pengeluaran yang berlebihan dari kad kredit ke akaun bank dan mengurangkan kos yang signifikan yang berkaitan dengan transaksi kad kredit yang ditanggung oleh TNGD.
Ni menekankan bahawa pengguna TNG eWallet mempunyai pilihan untuk memilih DuitNow untuk tambah nilai, yang melibatkan pemindahan dana antara bank, menyediakan keseimbangan antara kemudahan, keselamatan, dan kelestarian kos jangka panjang bagi syarikat. Beliau menggalakkan pengguna untuk menggunakan DuitNow atau kad debit untuk tambah nilai, kerana kedua-dua pilihan tersebut percuma.
Starting from February 23, TNG Digital Sdn Bhd (TNGD) will implement a one per cent fee on all Touch ‘n Go eWallet (TNG eWallet) top-ups made using credit cards. Transactions via debit cards and DuitNow will continue to remain free of charge.
The decision, according to TNGD’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Ni, is aimed at addressing excessive withdrawals from credit cards to bank accounts and reducing the significant costs associated with credit card transactions borne by TNGD.
Ni emphasised that TNG eWallet users have the option to choose DuitNow for top-ups, which involves fund transfers between banks, providing a balance between convenience, security, and the long-term cost sustainability of the company. He encouraged users to utilise DuitNow or debit cards for top-ups, as both options are free of charge.
Pangkalan Data Utama, PADU, secara rasmi dilancarkan hari ini, menggesa rakyat Malaysia untuk mendaftar dan memastikan butiran mereka dikemaskini. Pangkalan data ini bertujuan untuk memudahkan pengagihan subsidi dan perlindungan sosial secara berkesan, termasuk subsidi yang ditargetkan untuk bahan api.
Untuk menggalakkan pendaftaran awal, kerajaan telah bekerjasama dengan sektor swasta untuk menawarkan insentif kepada 3,000 pengguna pertama PADU. Seperti yang diumumkan oleh Menteri Ekonomi, Rafizi Ramli, pengguna ini akan menerima kad Touch ‘n Go Enhanced percuma dengan keupayaan NFC dan diskaun untuk Mydin.
Proses penebusan untuk kad Touch ‘n Go NFC percuma tersebut dinyatakan seperti berikut:
Lokasi Penebusan: Kaunter PADU di Pusat Konvensyen Antarabangsa Putrajaya (PICC).
Tarikh dan Masa Penebusan: Hari ini (2 Januari 2024) sehingga 5 petang.
Kriteria Penebusan: Tunggu sehingga laman web PADU aktif selepas pelancaran rasmi oleh Perdana Menteri (sekitar 12:30 petang). Daftarkan butiran anda di PADU menggunakan peranti anda sendiri atau di kaunter PADU yang disediakan di luar Dewan Perdana di PICC. Tunjukkan bukti pendaftaran PADU kepada pegawai di kaunter pendaftaran PADU di PICC. Terima kad Touch ‘n Go NFC percuma, sementara stok masih ada.
Butiran mengenai diskaun Mydin untuk pendaftaran awal PADU belum diberikan. Rakyat Malaysia digalakkan untuk memanfaatkan barang percuma ini dan mendaftar di PADU untuk memastikan mereka mendapat manfaat dari subsidi yang ditargetkan dan inisiatif kerajaan.
Malaysia’s Central Database Hub, PADU, officially launches today, urging Malaysians to register and ensure that their details are up to date. The database aims to facilitate the effective distribution of subsidies and social protection, including targeted subsidies for fuel.
To encourage early registrations, the government has collaborated with the private sector to offer incentives for the first 3,000 PADU users. As announced by the Minister of Economy, Rafizi Ramli, these users will receive a free Enhanced Touch ‘n Go card with NFC capability and discounts for Mydin.
The redemption process for the free Touch ‘n Go NFC card is specified as follows:
Redemption Location: PADU counter at Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC). Redemption Date and Time: Today (2nd January 2024) until 5 pm. Redemption Criteria:
Wait until the PADU website goes live after the official launch by the Prime Minister (around 12:30 pm).
Register your details on PADU using your own device or at the PADU counter provided outside Dewan Perdana at PICC.
Show proof of PADU registration to the officer at the PADU registration counter at PICC.
Receive a free Touch ‘n Go NFC card, available while stocks last.
Details regarding the Mydin discount for early bird PADU registrations are yet to be provided. Malaysians are encouraged to take advantage of the freebies and register on PADU to ensure they benefit from targeted subsidies and government initiatives.
Touch ‘n Go Sdn Bhd (Touch ‘n Go) has set an ambitious target of attracting four million users to their Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system by the close of 2024.
According to Bernama, CEO Praba Sangarajoo emphasised the remarkable growth in RFID adoption, attributing it to the seamless convenience it offers. Presently boasting about three million RFID users, the company is eyeing an additional one million by the end of the next year, aligning with its commitment to providing a smoother toll payment experience.
Sangarajoo underscored the multifaceted advantages of RFID technology, not only streamlining toll payments but also enabling contactless fuel transactions. In a recent development, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow inaugurated Touch ‘n Go’s “Walao Eh Just In Penang” campaign, aimed at promoting cashless transactions and a seamless payment experience covering tolls, transit, and parking within Penang.
The campaign’s objective is to introduce the convenience of seamless mobility solutions to Penangites through Touch ‘n Go’s RFID and an enhanced Touch ‘n Go card.
In line with Penang’s vision of establishing a robust digital infrastructure by 2030, the campaign will see specially equipped mobile vans stationed strategically, offering special campaign deals on RFID tags to Penangites. They can also purchase exclusive Touch ‘n Go bundle sets, comprising an RFID tag and an enhanced Touch ‘n Go card.
Chief Minister Chow stressed the significance of adopting e-payment services such as Touch ‘n Go RFID, lauding its convenience, efficiency, and security. He expressed confidence in achieving Penang’s ambitious goal of being 100% cashless by 2030, with Touch ‘n Go’s collaboration.
Touch ‘n Go Group has launched ParkInsure, a unique insurance/takaful product for users who utilise the Touch ‘n Go card for parking. For just RM5 per month, users can access this coverage seamlessly through the GOprotect digital hub on the Touch ‘n Go eWallet platform.
They can choose between takaful from Zurich General Takaful Malaysia Berhad or conventional insurance from Allianz Malaysia Berhad. This offering provides affordable coverage for personal accidents, enhancing the convenience and security of Touch ‘n Go transactions.
ParkInsure comes with several helpful benefits:
Accidental Death or Disablement Coverage: If an accident happens within the car park compound leading to permanent disablement or accidental death, users can get reimbursed up to RM70,000.
Snatch Theft Inconvenience Benefit: In case of snatch theft within the car park area, users can receive up to RM1,500 to cover inconveniences.
Forcible Car Break-Ins: If a car break-in occurs in the car park, users are eligible for reimbursement up to RM1,500.
Key Reimbursement: If a user’s car key is stolen or damaged during coverage, a reimbursement fee of up to RM200 is provided.
These benefits provide protection and support for various situations that might happen in the car park, making ParkInsure a helpful addition for Touch ‘n Go card users.
In the conventional plan, users get extra benefits like up to RM200 for transportation charges to the hospital due to a car park accident and RM10 if their enhanced Touch ‘n Go card is lost to snatch theft in the car park.
For the takaful plan, users receive a different benefit. They can get up to RM200 for inconveniences if their car is damaged in a car park accident. These additional benefits are meant to provide more support and convenience for users in different situations while using their Touch ‘n Go cards for parking.
Touch ‘n Go eWallet users can subscribe to the ParkInsure insurance/takaful plan in under 3 minutes using GOprotect. They have the choice between takaful and conventional plans. The process ensures hassle-free claims through the insurers’ 24/7 claim hotline. Additionally, users can conveniently manage and access their policies/certificates through the “My Policies” tab on their eWallet app, streamlining their experience.
Users of the Touch ‘n Go eWallet can now conveniently pay for on-street parking in more locations that fall under the 19 enabled councils, with total coverage for the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor regions. The Majlis Perbandaran Klang, Majlis Bandaraya Seremban – Nilai, and Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya are the three newly enabled councils.
For on-street parking in both Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, Touch ‘n Go eWallet is the first eWallet in Malaysia to provide comprehensive coverage. By doing this, TNG is dealing with consumer complaints, notably those related to the removal of parking machines.
Public transportation users can now breathe a sigh of relief as the implementation of debit and credit cards are now in the works.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said this system is expected to be active in the next few months. He also mentioned that he has ordered all their agencies to adopt this open payment system.
LRT users now only have two options which is Touch ‘n Go or buying a token from the vending machine which if you ask me, is kind of outdated. For Touch ‘n Go to be around since 1997, with no major updates, it’s time the public get other payment options as the financial world is moving forward.
Everything now is being modernised and this debit card/credit card system is something that will make things easier for the public as they do not have to worry about topping up their Touch ‘n Go or waiting in line to buy a token.
For those hesitant to change, there’s good news as the credit and debit card system will complement the existing Touch ‘n Go system rather than have it replace the older system entirely.
PLUS Malaysia has taken note of the Prime Minister’s directive to ensure that highway users have more than just the RFID mode of payment to use to electronically pay toll charges. The RFID option has co-existed with the SmartTAG and Touch ‘n Go payment options in most open toll highway networks since 2018 and last Saturday, PLUS introduced it along the North-South Expressway so that motorists who travelled from Juru in the north to Skudai in the south could also use the payment mode.
However, the move caused severe congestion at many toll plazas due to confusion as well as the reduction of SmartTAG lanes which had either been converted to the manual Touch ‘n Go system or to RFID lanes. This appears to not have been the best approach as there are 5 million SmartTAG users but at this time, only 1.5 million vehicles have RFID tags. So it actually makes sense that proportionally, there should be more lanes for the system that has more users.
Apologising to the thousands of motorists for the inconvenience caused as a result of the congestion, PLUS has announced this evening that it will reinstate SmartTAG lanes to address the matter and manage traffic at the toll plazas.
“PLUS is committed to reinstate 16 toll plazas with 19 Touch ‘n Go lanes into SmartTAG lanes by January 25, 2022, in antipication of the Chinese New Year travel exodus. Subsequently, post-CNY, on February 19, an additional 18 toll plazas will convert 24 lanes to SmartTAG lanes”, the statement said.
While the PM’s directive was reported today, PLUS officials had earlier been in discussion with the Senior Minister of Works, Dato’ Sri Hj Fadillah Haji Yusof and the Director-General of the Malaysia Highway Authority (LLM), Dato Ir Mohd Shuhaimi Hassan, in response to concerns and unhappiness of the public’s during the initial RFID implementation and the removal of the SmartTag lanes at certain toll plazas.
PLUS has proactively identified areas of improvement and has assured the government that the highway technological enhancement will lead to a better and improved customer experience. The RFID project is in line with the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) blueprint by the Ministry of Works towards a congestion-free Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) highway eco-system.
Faster-operating double-arm barriers will be installed so that the opening time is quicker and the vehicle can continue forward smoothly.
Acknowledging the inconvenience caused to highway users, PLUS says it is fully committed to improving its overall highway customer experience. Teams have been formed to work around the clock on the ground to optimize system performance and sharpen detection at all toll plazas. Quicker ‘double arm’ lane barriers will also be deployed at plazas with high traffic to ensure traffic flow is faster. A double-arm barrier has two sections, each about half the length of the long single barrier and should open up faster. Additionally, visual RFID detection zones will be painted on the lanes to ensure motorists are able to position their vehicle to ensure optimum detection.
PLUS has also assigned customer service assistants (CSAs) at all 158 RFID lanes at 74 toll plazas to assist customers who are stuck at the lanes, These personnel will have portable detection devices to determine if there is a malfunction of the RFID tags. Motorists whose RFID tag is found to be undetectable will be given a coupon for a full diagnosis at the nearest Touch ‘n Go fitment centre. If the RFID tag still has detection issues after the test, Touch ‘n Go will replace the RFID tag for free.
For motorists’ convenience, there are 24 RFID fitment centres on PLUS highways and 35 at locations outside PLUS highways. PLUS will continue to work with Touch ‘n Go to increase the number of fitment centres to ensure proper tag application by professional personnel.
The government believes that motorists using highways should have a choice of payments, rather than be forced to use only RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification). This was decided after a Cabinet meeting yesterday and was announced by the Prime Minister who was responding to the congestion that was caused when PLUS, the major toll concessionaire in Malaysia, introduced RFID for Electronic Toll Payment (ETP) on the entire length of its North-South Expressway from last Saturday.
Various factors appear to have contributed to the massive congestion, from the reduced number of lanes for other ETP methods (ie the Touch ‘n Go card being tapped on a reader and the contactless SmartTAG with the TnG card) to failure of the RFID sensors to detect the tags on the vehicles, as well as confusion due to some (or all) SmartTAG lanes being converted to RFID lanes. Improper placement of the RFID tags, which are very tiny devices, has also been identified as a possible cause for non-detection and it is possible some of the tags, priced at RM35 (although it is known that they cost less than RM1) each, may be defective.
The two locations for sticking the RFID tags/ They are on the outside surface so they will be exposed and motorists are concerned about durability in the long-term. Care has also to be taken at automatic carwashes where the brushes could damage or even rub off the RFID tag. A replacement costs RM35 at this time.
Non-detection of the RFID tag is among the reasons that have caused the massive congestion at toll plazas and PLUS has stationed personnel with handheld devices to check on the device function.
“The Cabinet, in its meeting today, is of the view that road-users must be given a choice, just like how it was practiced when Touch ‘n Go 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,” said the Prime Minister.
He said that the toll concessionaires should not make all lanes use only the RFID method. “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, adding that any matter regarding toll payments by Malaysians will need to be referred to the Cabinet.
Like the SmartTAG, the RFID method also allows contactless ETP but uses the radio frequency for its signal instead of infrared (IR) that is used by the SmartTAG (which requires a TnG card to be present in the unit). PLUS claims that RFID offers quicker processing (but the vehicle must not travel faster than 30 km/h through the lane) without the vehicle having to stop for detection. However, the IR system does not require motorists to stop either, as millions of motorists will know. In places like Germany which use the IR system, vehicles can pass under the sensors (no toll plazas needed) at up to 100 km/h because they do not have to stop for the barrier to open.
Toll collection in Germany using the infra-red system similar to that used for the SmartTAG in Malaysia.
“In Germany, the Nationwide Truck Tolling System installed on all highways in a Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) configuration has proven to be highly effective, catering to more than two million trucks travelling at up to 100 km/h. It uses a similar IR technology like in Malaysia to validate payment. We have also successfully replicated this test in Malaysia. Our SmartTAG compatible units comply with DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication) standards and are ECE R10 certified. They operate in the 400THz band and are therefore able to transfer data 10,000 times faster than RFID. Being battery-powered, every unit is active with a wake-up time of just two milliseconds compared to the passive RFID’s 45 milliseconds,” said EFKON Asia, the Austrian technology provider that developed the IR-based toll collection system used on Malaysian highways.
According to PLUS, a SmartTAG lane can allow up to 1,000 vehicles through in an hour (550 with manual tapping). With RFID, PLUS claims that the processing rate can be faster and they state a speed of about 1,200 vehicles an hour. But that claimed quicker rate of processing is nullified since in both methods, vehicles still have to wait for the barrier to rise. Unless there is some innovation that can make the barrier rise faster in the RFID lane than in the SmartTAG lane, the pass-through rate will be the same.
No toll plazas on Singapore roads to cause congestion; motorists pay toll electronically when they enter the Central Business District where there are varying charges throughout the day.
Why does there need to be a barrier when, in other countries, they have already done away with the barrier? In Singapore, for example, their toll collection for the road pricing system (ERP) around the Central Business District is done without barriers and vehicles just drive under gantries and their payment is electronically collected. While the system used is a different type (wireless shortwave), the point is that they do not need barriers which slow down traffic flow. According to PLUS, they still need to have a barrier as there is no legal framework yet to protect their interests.
PLUS is promoting RFID as the first step towards the Multi Lane Free Flow (MLFF) system in future which will have no barriers and therefore eliminate congestion in places where toll has to be collected. However, there is no clear evidence that continued use of the SmartTAG method cannot also achieve MLFF. RFID requires further new investments – not to mention motorists having to spend again to install a new ETP system – whereas the IR system is already in place and runs reasonably reliably.
The toll plaza along the Federal Highway near Subang Jaya which was set up in the 1990s and removed just before the last General Election. Although its removal should have speeded up traffic flow, the situation today seems to be even more congested as traffic builds up more quickly at the bottleneck further down the road (near the Subang Jaya turnoff).
But whether removal of a barrier and even the whole toll plaza will allow traffic to flow more smoothly and remove congestion is uncertain if you look at one example where it has happened. This is the toll plaza near Subang Jaya in Selangor which was set up in the 1990s and then removed some years ago, just before a General Election. It seems that even with no toll collection being done, there is still congestion on that stretch so it is no different from before. In fact, some feel that when there was a toll plaza, at least the traffic flow was regulated and was slightly better on the other side of the toll plaza.
In a consumer society, choices and freedom of choices are important elements. Consumers will choose what they believe to be the best for their needs and in the case of ETP, there will be some who may even prefer cash payment. These could be people living in rural areas who travel on highways infrequently and who do not want their money stuck in some e-wallet, or spend money buying a SmartTAG that they will use only once a month. Many may like the TnG card since it can not only be used for ETP but also for parking and even travel on public transport. The RFID system may have a few advantages but for now, it seems that all it can be used for is ETP, which makes it poor value for money.
