Works minister Alexander Nanta Linggi today announced that the implementation of the Open Payment Toll Collection System (SPT) has officially begun today on 11 highways in Peninsular Malaysia. As promised by the minister prior to this, the introduction of this system will allow road users to pay tolls using their debit or credit cards, as an alternative to Touch ‘n Go cards, RFID and SmartTAG.
“Our objective is to provide payment options for users since previously there were only one or two systems; sometimes their (Touch’N Go) card(s) balance is not sufficient (for toll payment),” Nanta said after officiating the Implementation of the SPT at the Loke Yew toll plaza on the BESRAYA highway earlier today. “Road users now have another option, namely the SPT, this is also the first step towards implementing the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) system in the future.”
The 11 highways mentioned earlier includes the Sungai Besi Expressway (BESRAYA), New Pantai Expressway (NPE), Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), Western Kuala Lumpur Traffic Dispersal Scheme (SPRINT), Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), SMART Tunnel, Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE), Maju Expressway (MEX), Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE), Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), and the Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (BKE). For now, the minister did not say whether there are any plans to increase the number of SPT lanes at toll plazas on each location.
It should be noted that the Penang Bridge was initially planned to be included in the list of participating highways. However, Nanta said that implementation of the Open Payment Toll Collection System at the location will only begin at the end of the year in order to give its concessionaire more time to conduct further studies on it.
The works minister also noted that discussions are currently ongoing to expand the introduction of SPT to other highways across the country. Unfortunately, he did not provide a timeline for the potential future implementations.
(Source: Bernama / Alexander Nanta Linggi)
