Make sure you reload your Touch N Go because starting today, there will no longer be any Touch N Go top up facilities at all PLUS toll plazas nationwide!

The announcement was made last Friday by PLUS Malaysia Berhad as an effort to reduce congestion at exit points, as well as to prepare highway customers for a more efficient toll payment system in the near future.

Based on their research, a driver takes up one to three minutes of our precious time when they decide to reload at the toll plaza. Between 1st August 1 to 31st October 2019,  a trial closure was conducted for the stretch between Ipoh and Seremba, which saw a reduction of 60% of customers with insufficient balance in their touch N Go cards.

While this move seems to sound like a step in the right direction, many took to social media to voice their displeasure.

One Twitter user pointed out our worst nightmare- being stuck at the toll with insufficient balance and no reload options, causing massive queue and further congested traffic (cue the blaring honks!)

great so I'm stuck at the PLUS highway toll cos they don't accept the e wallet system and I have no money to top up my card. And the fucking toll staff is asking me to leave my car and walk to the petrol station to top up. This is batshit insane. pic.twitter.com/07dHRAFr3o

— m i n a r o s 🌼 (@MinaTheTerrible) November 3, 2019

Twitter users have also started the hashtag #MansuhTouchNGo and demanded a better cashless payment system. Some even suggested that Touch N Go should have implemented an online banking option to top up our Touch N Go cards (mindblown…).

We better start #MansuhTouchNGo since we have better alternatives for cashless payment in our country. Paywave is easier, better and free of charge. Why Malaysian have to pay extra/service charge to use shitty cashless system like TnG? GUNA PAYWAVE TAKDAK SERVICE CHARGE PUN LA

— IПJΛПGПΛƬIӨП (@InjangNation) November 4, 2019

I can’t imagine stuck at toll bcs I the e-wallet isn’t working or not available then I need to walk pulak leaving my car behind to topup my card. Kalau jenis mak macam aku yg selalu travel with anak kecil macam mana. Kena dukung anak keluar & jalan? #MansuhTouchNGo

— Seller Authentic Perfumes (@cokotiau) November 4, 2019

Dear @MyTouchnGo,
its almost 2020,
why your card still can’t topup via any online banking?

kemon la.. just verify user, verify card, then make topup direct dari online banking to TnGo card, not to e-wallet. JUST direct to CARD!.. 😤#MansuhTouchNGo

— othersideofme🐝 (@alhamhaq) November 4, 2019

Most users however commented on how inefficient and unequipped the customer service and Touch N Go kiosks are and that maybe it’s better to improve these facilities first before we go all out banishing the reload option at toll plazas.

so tng decides to offline today when PLUS have officialy abolished all the reload counter. fck #MansuhTouchNGo

— 🦖🦖🦖 (@ntshmr_BX) November 4, 2019

Had to go around the whole of Seremban 2 so many nights trying to top up my parents' TnG card, cos the system is "offiline" in all the dumbass stores. You cant even bloody set up a online top up system yet you wanna abolish the counters. Well, fck you. #MansuhTouchNGo

— நர்த்தனா (@narthanaaaaaaaa) November 5, 2019

Whatever it is that needs to be ironed out with this whole Touch N Go issue, we hope a more effective and peaceful solution will be drafted soon. In the meantime, PLUS has announced that they are engaging with Touch ‘n Go to ensure all the TNG kiosks are in good working condition at all times.

Currently, there are more than 11,000 reload facilities provided by Touch ‘n Go throughout the country, including ATMs, petrol stations, convenience stores, rest areas and shopping malls, etc. So, make sure you top up your Touch N Go cards before you start your journey!

By: Siti Farhana Sheikh Yahya