6 days ago
Elderly denied DRT transport over missing smartphone app issue
A social media post about an elderly woman allegedly being denied access to Demand-Responsive Transit (DRT) services for not owning a smartphone has triggered a wave of criticism online, raising concerns over digital exclusion and the push for a fully cashless public transport system.
User @BurhanPlays shared the incident on X, stating: '@askrapidkl I took a DRT van to the LRT earlier today. An elderly woman wasn't allowed to board because she didn't have a smartphone.
'She had her IC but the driver didn't let her on because she didn't book through the app. Please create a system that's easier for the elderly and the poor.'
The post sparked a flood of responses, with many condemning the current 'no app, no ride' policy as discriminatory.
'That's why I hate public transport operators enforcing no-app-no-ride policies. Public transportation should be accessible to everyone. Why does everything have to go through an app first?' said user @suzuki1412.
User @ApamGulaMelaka quoted the original post, calling the practice a form of 'cashless discrimination.'
'NGOs and OKU advocates warn: pushing the QR/cashless system without solving accessibility and financial inclusion will leave the most vulnerable behind.
'We can't abandon those who rely on cash. @GobindSinghDeo, make payments universally accessible!' urging the Digital Minister to resolve the issue.
The sentiment was echoed by user @janggut34544893, who added:
'Even government agencies are going 100% cashless. If you're sick and your phone runs out of battery, clinics will leave you hanging just because you can't pay RM1 online.'
Similarly, user @eimrawn criticised the state-run Bas Selangorku initiative, which is supposed to be free: 'It's ridiculous to ask people to download an app and scan just to board a supposedly free bus.'
While some users supported the shift towards a digital and cashless society, they stressed that such transitions must include proper consideration for those who may be left behind.
'Every time we push for digital banking or payments, inclusion is forgotten,' said @Tiangletrik. 'And yet, ESG frameworks clearly emphasise inclusion.'
User @jimbo7375373576 shared his personal experience: 'My 74-year-old mother simply couldn't adapt to cashless payments.
'Even basic things like paying property tax required help from us, as the municipal office refused to print bills or accept over-the-counter cash payments.'
