KUALA LUMPUR: Touch 'n Go (TnG) users have lauded the government's decision to review the monopoly by the payment system.
A user who only wanted to be known as Maya said the public should be afforded alternative payment methods other than TnG, adding that competition encourages companies to provide users with better and higher quality services at lower prices.
"I believe that TnG can improve their services by coming up with new initiatives," she said.
Firstly, she urged TnG to provide a service that allows users to reload their TnG cards through the eWallet app instead of relying on the 'Tambah Nilai' toll booths, which aren't always available.
She said that due to their unavailability, people find it hard to reload their cards in case of emergencies or when they are low on balance.
"Next, for the top-up kiosks, more cashless payment methods should be included since not everyone carries much cash with them these days," she added.
Another TnG user, who wanted to be known as Kamal, suggested implementing the method of paying tolls based on the vehicle's plate numbers rather than depending on the physical cards that are difficult to get due to high demand and low supply.
"If TnG wants everyone to use their new card, they should not sell the cards in batches," he said.
Moreover, this method will also help eliminate reckless and bad drivers on the road, specifically drivers who attempt to avoid paying tolls.
A number of issues, he said, concern users because the card is linked directly to the application.
One of his biggest challenges was reloading his TnG cards due to an insufficient balance when he was in a rush.
"The process is not only time consuming, but could also cause traffic jams at the toll or on the road, especially during peak hours," Kamal added.
"TnG is often complicated," said another user, Amelia, who said she tends to mix up the two services provided in the application, eWallet and TnG card.
She said this concerns not only her, but also the elderly who are not tech-savvy since they could easily be confused by such complicated electronic payment systems with a variety of functional services.
Amelia said she acknowledges that there are a few benefits of TnG, such as discounts, the e-wallet service, and the card balance tracking service without the need to use a smartTAG, but the drawbacks outweigh the advantages.
"I believe that TnG is controlling the services of other tenders since it monopolises the transactions at the tolls," she told the New Straits Times.
Recently, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had said the government would review the TnG monopoly as there had been no major improvement in services.
