Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof told the Dewan Negara today that it is crucial to ensure that RFID electronic toll payment works efficiently on the North South Highway (PLUS) before any further expansion, reports Bernama.
The senior minister said during this trial period, any problems including from the administrative and legal aspects would be identified and resolved so that the system would not be a burden to motorists.
“This is what we are looking at and working on at the level of the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Works Ministry,” said the senior minister.
Fadillah was replying to a question by Senator Datuk Razali Idris who wanted to know whether the ministry will consider placing the now-separated MyRFID and Tag lanes under a common lane.
Fadillah said the two toll systems run on different technology and to avoid confusion for the detecting system, it is necessary for the two toll payments to remain separate.
Touch N’ Go started trials with RFID sticker-based electronic toll payment in September 2018 on 16 highways in the Klang Valley.
In January this year, PLUS rolled out RFID on its highway by replacing quite a number of Smart Tag lanes with MyRFID ones, which quickly resulted in severe traffic congestion and backlash from the public.
Senator Muhammad Zahid Md Arip also questioned whether LLM has any legal basis to force motorists to pay RM 35 to install RFID.
The senior minister replied that RFID is merely another payment option to motorists, as Touch N’ Go and Smart Tag lanes are still maintained.
However the answer contradicts the Works Ministry earlier announcement saying that Touch ‘N Go and Smart Tag will be phased out by 2025, as part of the country’s goal of implementing multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) electronic toll collection, which does not require vehicles to stop / slow down.
Keyword: Works Ministry just told the Parliament that RFID is still in trial phase, merging with Smart Tag not possible