PLUS highway tolls go cashless

PLUS highway tolls go cashless



Traffic snarl: Motorists stuck in traffic jam on the first day of toll plazas going cashless.

KUALA LUMPUR: All tolls on PLUS highways are now fully electronic and no cash payments will be accepted.

PLUS Malaysia Berhad managing director Datuk Azman Ismail said as of yesterday, PLUS highway users were required to pay toll with PlusMiles card, Touch ‘n Go (TnG) Card, SmartTag, or MyKad equipped with TnG chips.

“The objective of a fully electronic system is to ensure a smoother and faster toll transaction and a more comfortable journey for road users,” said Azman.

“The electronic toll collection system is 300% faster than the manual cash system.”

A SmartTag lane can cater up to 1,000 vehicles per hour and a TnG lane, 600 vehicles per hour, compared with only 180 vehicles per hour at a manual cash lane, he added.

Azman said the migration to full electronic toll collection system was implemented by PLUS in stages since 2008.

The affected highways, which have a total of 94 toll plazas, are the North-South Expressway (NSE), North-South Expressway Central Link, New Klang Valley Expressway, Federal Highway Route 2, Seremban-Port Dickson Highway, Butterworth-Kulim Expressway, Malaysia–Singapore Second Crossing and Penang Bridge.

Speaking at a press conference at the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza, Azman said that feedback and the level of awareness from highway users on the cashless system have been positive, with a 92% penetration nationwide.

He added that PLUS has been running campaigns and advertisements to create awareness on the migration to the new system.

Lanes to top up and purchase TnG cards will be opened for 24 hours at all toll plazas.

PlusMiles cards are also available at all PLUS Customer Service Centres operating at selected toll plaza offices.

Meanwhile, Azman gave an assurance that all existing PLUS toll booth attendants numbering more than 2,000 would not be affected and that some would be redeployed to nearby toll plazas to assist with the new system.

Touch ‘n Go Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Syahrunizam Samsudin said there were no plans to reduce the price of the SmartTag (RM127.20) or TnG card (RM10.60, without pre-loaded value).

He also clarified that the service charge to top up a TnG card and the cap on the reload amount were business models of respective retailers, and customers always have the options to reload their cards elsewhere.

~News courtesy of The Star~

24-hour open border for Bukit Kayu Hitam

24-hour open border a boon for state, says MB

Having the Bukit Kayu Hitam-Danok checkpoint open 24 hours a day will benefit the economy and boost state tourism, said Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Ah­­mad Bashah Md Hanipah.

He said the planned round-the-clock operation should not be seen from a negative perspective.

“It will have a socio-economic benefit for Kedah, particularly through developments in the Indo­­nesia-Malaysia-Thailand triangle region. We can profit from transportation especially from Thai vehicles carrying agricultural goods into the country.

“It will also spur Bukit Kayu Hitam’s growth as an industrial area in view of the state government’s plan to establish a 6,000-acre (2,428ha) tax-free area, including the Kedah Science Technology Park,” he told the state assembly here yesterday.

Ahmad Bashah said the state and private sector would combine their resources to build facilities such as hotels, houses and shopping complexes to woo visitors.

The new system, he said, could also resolve the congestion that has been happening for years, especially during the holiday period.

Ahmad Bashah said the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minis­­ter, who is also the Home Minister, have given the nod to the move during the Mentri Besar and Chief Ministers’ Meeting.

“The Federal Government in principle has agreed to the 24-hour operation from the current 18 hours while the state government will scrutinise all relevant issues, in particular, security,” he said in response to a question from Datuk Ahmad Zaini Japar (BN-Bukit Kayu Hitam).

Ahmad Bashah added that all agencies at the Customs, Immi­gra­tion and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex at Bukit Kayu Hitam were fully prepared for the change.

~News courtesy of The Star~

吉政府原则上同意．黑木山关卡全天开放

吉政府原则上同意．黑木山关卡全天开放

吉打州政府原则上同意吉打黑木山马泰边境关卡全天候24小时开放的措施，且相信在经济效应中，我国将会是最大获利方。



陈国耀（左）与吉州反对党领袖拿督阿米鲁丁商讨所要提呈的动议。（图：星洲日报）

吉打州政府原则上同意吉打黑木山马泰边境关卡全天候24小时开放的措施，且相信在经济效应中，我国将会是最大获利方。

目前，黑木山关卡的开放时间是凌晨6时至晚上12时。

运输增加税收

吉打州务大臣拿督斯里阿末峇沙说，马泰边界关卡从开放18小时延长至24小时的新措施，已在今年2月的第128次州务大臣及首席部长会议上被接纳。

他说，关卡全天候开放后，必定会刺激吉州经济成长，因为州政府可在运输方面增加税收，尤其是黑木山马泰关卡，每天都有很多泰国运输罗里，载运蔬果进入我国，或经我国到新加坡。

鼓励更多旅客游吉打

他昨日在吉州第14届第四季第三次立法议会口头问答环节中，答复巫统黑木山区州议员拿督阿末再尼的提问。

他说，此举是为了鼓励更多旅客，在不受关卡开放时间限制下到来旅游，且也可舒缓关卡高峰时段的交通阻塞。

他强调，政府已仔细研究24小时开放后可能出现的各种问题，包括保安和边界执法官员的人力问题，而政府有信心能克服所有难题。

他也说，吉州政府计划把占地2428公顷的黑木山工业区和私人地段发展为免税区，包括吉打科学及科技园。他深信未来的黑木山会有很大的蜕变。

交怡岛免税权照旧

吉打州工业及投资事务委员会主席拿督古阿都拉曼说，吉打州的浮罗交怡是在1986财政法令下被颁布为免税岛，而这地位不受时间限制，因此交怡岛免税权被指届满的说法，并不正确。

他解释，州政府在黑木山打造的免税区，与交怡岛的免税岛地位不同。免税区是在关税局法令下颁布和受当局条例管制的。

他回答行动党德卡区州议员陈国耀提问时说，关税局在去年11月落实的重组售卖免税烟酒措施，是为了杜绝猖狂的免税烟酒走私活动。

他解释，关税局发现交怡岛上人口和旅客数字，与岛上所售卖的免税烟酒量比率差距太大。

他说，现在岛上所有免税烟酒交易都必须电脑化处理，消费者每个月有规定的“353”消费固打（即3箱24罐装啤酒、5公升烈酒及3条装香烟）。

古阿都拉曼也说，吉州在2016年取得高达21亿3000万令吉投资额，比2015年的15亿6000万令吉多。



黑木山关卡将24小时开放。（图：星洲日报）



浮罗交怡免税岛地位没时间限制。（图：星洲日报）

文章来源：
星洲日报‧大北马‧2017.04.10

傍晚走在长长行人道．到慕妮海滨看日落

傍晚走在长长行人道．到慕妮海滨看日落

在吉中区，要看日落，一定要到慕妮海滨（Pantai Murni）。



政府拨出263万令吉提升慕妮海滨的设施，以吸引旅客到这里观光。（图：星洲日报）

在吉中区，要看日落，一定要到慕妮海滨（Pantai Murni）。

慕妮海滨刚完成提升工程，属于新的景点，它已成为当地人在傍晚时分的好去处，特别是每逢周末，许多人都选择来此看日落。

建6.2公里行人道

铅县议会秘书哈菲哈斯里说，政府拨出263万令吉提升慕妮海滨的设施，包括兴建长达6.2公里的行人道。

他们也兴建一个有盖场地，及拥有8个摊位的饮食中心，同时还设有旅游资讯中心。

他说，当地在同一时间可停放39辆汽车、22辆摩哆车及5辆巴士。

“我希望有此停车便利后，可以吸引大量的游客，带动地方上的经济和发展。”

提升设施吸引游客

旅游部秘书长助理聂莫哈末哈比日前移交管理此景点证书仪式致词时，希望通过提升当地的旅游设施，能吸引更多的游客到此观光。

他认为，铅县是一个具有旅游潜能发展的地点，该部会善用各种优势全面发展。

他说，这里的旅游景点不仅有山有水，还有许多大自然的美景，有条件吸游客。

拍摄日落理想地点

双溪大年市民林力孟（39岁）说，他喜欢摄影，当得知慕妮海滨是拍摄日落的理想地点后，就相约几名好友到此拍日落。

“我们在黄昏前抵达，就看到好像咸蛋黄般的太阳，我赶紧用相机拍下这画面。这里的日落，真的太美丽了。”

他说，他住在城市生活，生活有时难免会感到压力，来到这里欣赏大自然的美，就感到轻松自在。

蒂蒂哈孕瀑布戏水

在慕妮海滨不远处有另外一个景点，那就是蒂蒂哈孕瀑布，它也是深受当地民众热捧。

在看日落前，民众可先到这里来走走，更贴近大自然。

当地民众也喜欢携带一家大小到蒂蒂哈孕瀑布戏水和野餐。民众喜欢在山水区的岩石和小溪内戏水。

瀑布的水清澈，有些水源区会有小鱼出现，让小孩子捕捉。



旅游中心资讯处准备了铅区多个旅游景点资料，方便旅客到此处查询。（图：星洲日报）



聂莫哈末哈比（右）移交管辖证书给哈菲哈斯里。（图：星洲日报）



如果有时间，可到慕妮海滨等日落。（图：星洲日报）



当局已提升慕妮海滨的设施，有长长的行人道可供民众在海边散步。（图：星洲日报）



多漂亮的日落，犹如看到一颗咸蛋黄消失在海面上。（图：星洲日报）



蒂蒂哈孕瀑布，它是一个深受当地民众热捧的去处。（图：星洲日报）



蒂蒂哈孕瀑布的吊桥。（图：星洲日报）

文章来源：
星洲日报‧大北马‧2017.04.06