Elected reps want RFID stickers given free to users
Elected representatives from both sides of the divide have questioned the selling price of the RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) stickers which they claimed the cost worth far less than its retail price.
Taking to social media, former Prime Minister Najib Razak said each passive RFID sticker usually cost below RM1.
"Why is it sold at RM35 each when the cost...
Politicians from both sides of the divide have questioned the selling price of the RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) stickers which they claimed cost far less than its retail price.
Taking to social media, former Prime Minister Najib Razak said each passive RFID sticker usually cost below RM1.
"Why is it sold at RM35 each when the cost of the passive RFID tag is usually below RM1," he asked in a Facebook posting yesterday.
"The stickers should be given free to every Touch' n Go customer because the cost is low, and it is free from 2018 to February 2020. Starting Feb 15, 2020, it was sold at RM35."
Meanwhile, Amanah committee member and Permatang Pasir assemblyperson Faiz Fadzil urged the government and Plus Malaysia Berhad to provide RFID stickers for free because the highway concessionaire will profit via toll payment involving at least one million vehicles per day.
"The government and Plus Malaysia should not have focused on the interest of the cronies when the people are suffering. The country's economy is deteriorating with an inflation rate of 3.3 percent in November 2021 and rising goods prices.
"More than 20 percent of the middle 40 percent income (M40）group belongs to the bottom 40 percent income (B40) now. This will definitely add to the burden of this group who usually own more than one car," he said in a statement.
Faiz said the government and the concessionaire should be more flexible in implementing RFID by not abolishing the use of the existing Touch' n Go card.
He said the sale of the RFID stickers would only benefit the cronies.
"This is because the people should be given a choice and not forced by one single method as though they are living under autocratic rule," he said.
The concessionaire was criticised by highway users over the massive traffic congestion at certain toll booths following the implementation of the RFID system in the North-South Expressway on Jan 15.
On Dec 16, 2021, the Works Ministry said toll transactions using RFID technology for private light vehicles (Class 1) would be implemented at the Juru route in Penang to Skudai in Johor on the North-South Highway starting Jan 15.
Plus said RFID tags are already in use by about 1.5 million highway users, especially in the Klang Valley.
