Is it necessary for TnG, Smart Tag lanes to be phased out?

SHAH ALAM - Amidst the struggle faced by Malaysians over the use of the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, another controversy had surfaced.

This follows the announcement by Plus Malaysia Bhd to implement touchless transactions at its toll plazas and the phasing-out of the Touch ‘n Go (TnG) and Smart Tag lanes in stages starting Jan 15.

This, has indeed cause public uproar with may road users complaining of being stuck in long queues due to the failure of the RFID function.

The situation got worse when those queuing at the RFID lanes had to switch lanes although they had insufficient balance in their TnG card.

In regards with the matter, Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof had asked PLUS and TnG to provide an explanation and come up with the best solutions to tackle the issue.

He also urged for the relevant authorities to resolve the issue so that road users would not have to face such difficulties.

It is undeniable that the use of RFID has its benefits for road users, but it could also make things hard for them as they would have to pay for the price of the RFID tags installation.

Some road users were upset about the news that the TnG and Smart Tag lanes will be eventually discontinued.

To solve this issue, PLUS should provide alternatives to road users on how they could make payments at the tolls.

It is important to note that not all Malaysians are tech-savvy, as those who come from the rural areas or the elderly are much more comfortable with cash transactions.

Social media users had also voiced their concerns and many were of the view that the process of phasing out the TnG and Smart Tag lanes should not take effect.

We do not need to be too excited with new technologies until we forget the implications it might have on people which could eventually lead to them blaming the government for any mishaps.