Plus Malaysia Berhad’s (PMB) removal of Touch ‘n Go top up lanes at tolls came into effect today and it’s safe to say that it’s not gone down all that smoothly with everyone. Netizens sentiments with Touch ‘n Go (TnG) are already strained as it is, and a quick look at Twitter will tell you that you need to know about the situation.
The hashtag #MansuhTouchNGo (abolish TnG) is now one of the top 5 trending topics in the country, and it only takes one click (or tap) for you to see just what netizens are so unsatisfied about. Issues range mainly from unreasonable surcharges for topping up to the lack of toll coverage for it’s PayDirect feature. There’s a few more on top of that but the general sentiment is that the company is a scam and that it’s only allowed to get away with what it does because of it’s monopolistic nature (they’re not wrong there).
PLUS dah buat better alternative. PLUS RFID with open payment platform. The real culprit behind this is TnG owned by CIMB yang tolak alternatif PLUS RFID demi survivability TnG ewallet. Kalau open payment platform implemented, tobat org tak guna TnG ewallet dah #MansuhTouchNGo https://t.co/3BxsRsTPWh
— Injang (@InjangNation) November 5, 2019
The most stupid service of the year goes to TouchnGo. Mmg paling bangang lagi buduh. 大大大嫌い! #MansuhTouchNGo https://t.co/Vup4QWqElL
— nasuhamokhtar (@nasuhamokhtar) November 5, 2019
Going cashless isn't supposed to make us have less cash because of service charges and unusual reloading policies
The monopoly needs to end#MansuhTouchNGo
— hey, it's nazriq! (@nazriqahmad) November 5, 2019
Some netizens aimed their ire at CIMB Group Holdings Bhd, who in case you didn’t know, is actually Touch ‘n Go Sdn Bhd’s parent company.
#MansuhTouchNGo
Charge Cimb back the 50sen they hv been cheating the Rakyat for ALL these years!!!At minimum bayar balik 500 to each TnG card !!!
— Joker #KerajaanBangsat (@BadBoy2662) November 5, 2019
https://twitter.com/takaharasuiko/status/1191579634753654790
Now, they may have a point about the CIMB thing.
As mentioned above, CIMB Group Holdings bhd owns TnG Sdn Bhd and actually took their joint venture partner PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PMB) to court last December, filing for an arbitration to stop the highway concessionaire from launching its own toll collection system.
The said system is of course PMBs very own RFID system in which users will (finally) be able to top up via debit card, (which I’m not gonna lie, sounds a whole lot better).
Both companies only managed to reach a settlement on the RFID dispute on the 24th of October this year, so hopefully PMBs RFID system can now move forward as planned and commuters can soon start using debit cards to top up. On top of that, PMB is also working with TnG digital Sdn Bhd to enable the TnG eWallet as a method of payment at ALL tolls.
Here’s a fun fact, both CIMB and PMB are shareholders in Touch ‘n Go. Under their Joint Venture Agreement, CIMB owns 48% of Touch n’ Go while PMB and MTD Equity Sdn Bhd hold 28% and 20% respectively.
As for TnG Digital Sdn Bhd, the company is pretty much the unlucky victim of the misconception that it is one and the same company as TnG Sdn Bhd.
Yes, the TnG eWallet’s lack of proper synchronization with the physical TnG card and limited functionality of it’s PayDirect feature may be a problem, but there are bigger forces at work here. Now that the court case is settled however, we hope that both parties can sort out this mess and finally stop failing Malaysian commuters once and for all.
