KUALA LUMPUR: Five highways nationwide will begin implementing an open payment system by September, says Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi.
He said they are the Sungai Besi Expressway, the Ampang - Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, the New Pantai Expressway, the Guthrie Corridor Expressway and the Penang Bridge.
"From the beginning of this year, I had already instructed for discussions and planning to begin among the relevant parties and highway concessionaires as a step towards the implementation of an open payment system.
"The implementation of this system is among the early initiatives towards the transition to the Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF), which is currently underway,: he said in a statement on Facebook.
On Monday, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the ministry had instructed all agencies including public transport operators under the ministry's purview to create an open payment system application.
He said several months will be needed to integrate the open payment system.
His statement came after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had hinted that the Touch 'n Go 'monopoly' would be reviewed.
Nanta, meanwhile, said the MLFF Proof of Concept' (POC) will be undertaken before the end of October to assess the system before it is implemented in all highways nationwide.
He said discussions over the proposed POC locations are ongoing and will be finalised soon.
"The MLFF implementation will be done in phases by the third quarter of 2024 at the latest," he said.
Nanta said the implementation of the MLFF will enable an open payment system to carried out for toll collection at all highways.
"This will open up more opportunities for eWallet providers to participate and end the monopoly by Touch 'n Go. It will also create healthy competition among industry players and open up more choices for highway users in terms of toll payment methods.
"I hope that this effort will receive support from all quarters and benefit everyone, especially the people and highway users," he said.