All public bus fares to go cashless

IPOH, 16 Jan 2020:

All bus operators especially stage bus companies that receive subsidies from the government have been required to provide a cashless payment system in their services.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said it was one of the conditions stipulated by the government in the agreement with the bus operators, in an effort to transform the country into a digital economy.

“Any bus operator receiving a subsidy from the government has been required to provide the cashless payment system.

“We hope they can start using the system soon,” he told a press conference after launching the cashless system for myBAS Ipoh at the Meru Raya Terminal here today.

He said the government would review the subsidy allocation if the bus operators involved refused to implement the system as required.

He said the implementation of a cashless system in public transport did not involve high cost and most cashless payment system companies were willing to work with bus operators for the purpose.

“It is hoped that consumers will be able to adapt to this system and we are confident that with the introduction of the system it will improve efficiency of public transport in the country.”

He said myBAS Ipoh, operated by Perak Transit Berhad, was the first myBAS in the country to use the cashless payment system.

Loke said people with disabilities, senior citizens and students will still get to enjoy half priced fares by using the Touch ‘n Go and Concession cards, similar to using cash.

He said passengers can use Touch ‘n Go cards, including identification cards to make payment, apart from purchasing Touch ‘n Go and Concession cards at RM10 and RM15 respectively at the Medan Kid Bus Station and Meru Raya Terminal.

He also noted the number of passengers of myBAS Ipoh has shown an impressive increase, from 86,263 people in September 2016 to 161,964 passengers in December last year.

The Transport Ministry is also working with the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry to monitor and ensure child restraint seats (CRS) in the market are in accordance with the necessary safety standards.

Loke said action would be taken under the Consumer Protection Act 1999 and the Trade Description Act 2011 against companies that were found to have supplied CRS which did not meet the stipulated standards.

“After Jan 1, the CRS products that enter the market must meet the standards as most of them are imported,” he said after launching the national-level Road Safety Campaign and Integrated Ops in conjunction with the Chinese New Year at the Tapah Rest and Recreation area here today.

Loke said his ministry was adopting a practical approach by allowing parents to use child safety seats which were purchased before the CRS enforcement took effect on Jan 1 this year.

​“We don’t want to force consumers but we advise them to check first before they purchase and follow the standards. The safety seats must have a sticker and QR Code.”

Loke said for the moment, the government had no plan to extend the mandatory use of child safety seats to other types of vehicles.

The government announced the use of child safety seats in private vehicles would be made mandatory starting Jan 1 this year.

The move towards mandatory child seat use was based on the statistics of 1,559 deaths involving children aged 10 and below were recorded from 2007 to 2017.

According to Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research research officer Nurulhana Borhan, all CRS purchases must conform to the United Nations (UN) Regulation No 44 (ECE R44/04) and Regulation No 129 (ECE R129) as only those were allowed for use in the country.

She said the standards have been set by the UN Regulation as the safety measure for children with a height of 135 cm and below.

– Bernama