PETALING JAYA: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad (CIMB) and PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) announced on Monday that they have recently come to an agreement to provide additional payment options to road users at PLUS expressways across the country.
These enhanced toll payment services will be facilitated by Touch n’ Go Sdn Bhd (TnG) through the TnG RFID tag. TnG is a subsidiary of CIMB Group.
Starting with PLUS expressways, this initiative promises a seamless experience with more options for toll payment anchored on the concept of Open Payments and will give highway customers the choice to link their TnG RFID tags to any of their bank accounts, credit cards, debit cards or the TnG e-wallet.
CIMB said both parties aim to roll-out the open payments facility to all toll highway concessionaires across Malaysia in the future.
Over time, this RFID driven payment mode is expected to replace the TnG card that has been the defacto mode of payment for toll transactions across the country.
For starters, TnG RFID services will be available in 10 open system toll plazas at PLUS expressways from Jan 1, 2020. TnG RFID services for all 83 closed system toll plazas will be available on the PLUS expressways by April 1 in the same year.
Open system toll plazas are defined as a system where the toll fare is a fixed rate based on vehicle class.
Closed system toll plazas are defined as a system that based the toll rate on the vehicle class and distance travelled upon entry and exit out of the highway.
“RFID transactions will be real time, as our highway customers will receive immediate notification of their balance and CIMB/TnG have given their commitment to this high standard of service delivery,” said Azman.
“We’re extremely pleased to have been able to work with PLUS to lead this landmark initiative. The democratisation in toll payments is something we fully champion and the CIMB teams, together with the teams at our subsidiary TnG, are committed to collaborating with PLUS and, in time, other highway concessionaires to make open payments an accessible reality for all Malaysians,” said CIMB Group chief executive officer Tengku Datuk Sri Zafrul Aziz.
"We are delighted that CIMB is aligned on this ambition to partner with us to lead in making it a seamless journey on our highways with the democratisation of toll payments where over time, other mode of payment can be considered, thus ensuring the toll industry is always relevant with market practices,” said PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail.
TnG RFID services have been available in pilot-mode at selected expressways nationwide since the beginning of 2019.
The TnG RFID initiative is the first step of a masterplan aimed at reducing congestion on Malaysian expressways.
The scheme is being coordinated and devised in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works and Malaysian Highway Authority.
CIMB said there would be no disruption to the current card, SmartTAG or PayDirect services during this transition.
