Open Payment System For Public Transport Soon - Loke

According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, an open payment system for transport services, particularly those provided by Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, will be implemented soon.

He stated that this would essentially allow commuters to pay for public transport using credit or debit cards in addition to Touch 'n Go cards, Bernama reported. “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 due to a lack of significant progress and development in its system.

However, that does not mean Touch ‘n Go’s services will be ended, said Loke. “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 added, while adding that users have been lamenting that they were short of choices when paying for public transport services and highway tolls. He stated that Prasarana has been directed to implement an open payment method, and that the system will take some time to integrate.

Prasarana bus services, Light Rail Transit (LRT), Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) are among the public transport services that accept Touch 'n Go payments.