Malaysia Plans Barrierless Toll System Modelled After Singapore's ERP

Automatic number plate recognition to be tried out starting mid-August

- Hazlin Hassan

KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia could soon introduce a barrierless toll booth system to ease congestion on major highways in efforts to revamp its toll-collection processes and manage traffic congestion.

Plus Malaysia, the country's largest highway operator, will begin targeted public trials of an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) system in mid-August on the main North-South Expressway, involving thousands of participants, according to an industry source familiar with the plans. The trials, if successful, will form a key component of a nationwide barrierless toll system that could be implemented by 2027.

"This pilot is a crucial step in our shift towards the multi-lane fast flow (MLFF) system. We are starting with ANPR to evaluate its reliability and accuracy in real traffic conditions before rolling out a full-scale system. The aim is to reduce congestion at specific toll lanes and eventually eliminate the need for toll barriers altogether," the source told The Straits Times.

The Works Ministry is proceeding with the MLFF toll-collection system through a direct business-to-business (B2B) model, Deputy Minister Ahmad Maslan told Parliament on Aug 6.

"The government remains committed to implementing the MLFF system via a B2B model, with no financial burden on the government," he said, addressing recent concerns regarding a previously projected cost of RM3.46 billion (S$1.05 billion) to the government.

Another trial – a collaboration between Touch 'n Go and CIMB – on the Kemuning-Shah Alam Expressway involves the installation of gantries and other supporting infrastructure, he added.