There have been many confusing media statements by Works Minister S Samy Velly that highway concessionaires should switch from their current electronic toll collection system to the Touch 'n Go system.

I don't agree with the government policy on levying toll on city highways in the first place, but I hope that Samy can at least show that he is a responsible minister by allowing the use of existing payment modes to continue for the benefit of highway users.

Touch 'n Go could become another payment mode to complement the existing modes (such as Fastrak or Saga Tag), so that customers have an additional choice. This would be far less hassle than changing the system.

I have been using Fastrak (for Kesas, Sprint and Litrak highways) which I have found to be the best payment mode because drivers do not have to stop at all at the toll booths.

With Touch 'n Go (such as on PLUS highway), the driver has to stop and scan the card (which takes a few seconds) and this can lead to massive congestion such as on the Penang Bridge or even at Jelapang during festive seasons.

Even on normal days, Touch 'n Go is sometimes slower than the cash lane, such as at the Sungai Besi toll plaza on the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban highway.

From newspaper reports, I understand that Touch 'n Go is operated by Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd (RSSB). However, I don't have a clear idea as to whether the system was designed by RSSB or if the technology was imported.

I understand that RSSB also operates Smart Tag, an express lane on PLUS highways. Unfortunately, the latter is not that popular except for the elite few who can afford to pay a hefty RM220 just to obtain the tag. Customers pay a refundable RM15 to get the Touch 'n Go service, not including its prepaid value.

My point is, why must Samy force consumers to choose a backward and more expensive system? I am saying this after comparing Touch 'n Go with Fastrak.

With Fastrak, I only need slow down to 20km/h and the gate will open automatically. The cost of acquiring Fastrak tag is also cheaper, only RM100, not including its prepaid value.

I have never experienced any problem with Fastrak. Thus, I can understand why several highway concessionaires have refused to remove existing tags - simply because theirs are better! Common sense applies, I agree with them.

Now that the minister has forced them to install Touch 'n Go with effect from August (after several postponements), both consumers and highway concessionaires have every reason to protest.

As a consumer, I wonder whether I can get back money spent to buy the tag? So far, the concessioners have only agreed to refund the prepaid value. This does not include the waste of time to deal with hundreds of thousands of tag-holders (who will have to make the switch).

Samy also said concessionaires must 'automatically convert' the customers' prepaid value to Touch 'n Go. I wonder whether the concessionaires have time to do free service for RSSB.

Finally, I have heard grouses that the use of Touch 'n Go is nothing but pure daylight robbery. This is because concessionaires have to buy the equipment (costing millions, of course) from RSSB, maintain these and pay 2.5 percent royalty from the revenue to RSSB!

Why should RSSB get royalty? What type of business is this? If Touch 'n Go is the product of RSSB's 'intellectual property', then I can understand that royalty payment will be involved.

Even for intellectual property (such as songs or movies), no one has the right to force any radio or television station to use the material. It is a matter of choice.

I wonder whether Samy understands the concept of free and healthy competition in business, or if he is dreaming that he still lives in the feudal era?

I hope that members of parliament will raise the issue in the Dewan Rakyat so that justice can be done. After all, we are all consumers.

I really wonder why the government is so insistent on using such a backward system like Touch 'n Go, and who are the real figures behind the move.