PETALING JAYA: Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said PLUS Expressway Bhd has agreed to add more RFID lanes for the comfort and safety of road users after issues with the system were highlighted on social media.
“We've come to an agreement and PLUS Expressway Berhad has agreed to add RFID lanes for the convenience of users. For a start, 12 lanes will be added by mid-April,” Nanta said in a post on Twitter today (Jan 13).
Kesepakatan sudah dicapai dan pihak PLUS Expressway Berhad sudah bersetuju untuk menambah lorong RFID demi keselesaan pengguna. Buat permulaan, sebanyak 12 lorong akan ditambah selewat-lewatnya pertengahan April ini.
— Alexander Nanta Linggi (@AlexNantaLinggi) January 13, 2023
Details about the additional RFID lanes location and others will be revealed later, he added.
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The minister said he called representatives from Touch ‘n Go, Malaysian Highway Authority and PLUS to get detailed information about traffic congestion issues at toll plazas with RFID technology following complaints by users. The discussion was held this morning.
“Based on the many complaints received, most users complained about the lack of RFID lanes at toll plazas which led to severe traffic congestion,” he said.
He added that road users were also concerned about safety as they questioned the positioning of RFID lanes at different toll plazas. According to the minister, this issue has led to accidents.
“In this meeting, I have instructed for action addressing the issues to be implemented as soon as possible while ensuring the safety of all parties,” he said.
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On Jan 12, it was reported that Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he will hold a discussion with Nanta about RFID issues despite the matter not being under his jurisdiction. The Works Minister responded to the tweet saying all parties involved will be called for a discussion soon.
Loke was originally tagged in a complaint by former MP Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan who described the RFID system as “frustrating”. His tweet posted on Jan 11 has received more than 860,000 views. Other users on Twitter chimed in to share their own experiences with RFID where they have also described the system as “confusing” and even suggested that more RFID lanes needed to be introduced.