Latest news with #PLUS
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Malay Mail
From ‘angkat ketiak' to ‘jalan terus', why I'm all in for plate recognition (if we do it right) — Henry Kau MS
JULY 28 — I went to a shopping mall yesterday and realised something strange about myself. I've started picking where to park based on whether I have to 'angkat ketiak' to tap my card at the boom gate. If I can just drive in and out without winding down the window or reaching for anything, that place gets an automatic five-star experience in my book. It sounds petty but it's real. The smallest frictions, like rolling down windows in the rain, mis-taps, or low card balances, shape how we move. That's why number plate scanning tech, officially known as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), the kind that lets you glide through without touching anything, has quietly become one of the most useful things we've adopted. You'll find it in more places now. Some malls use it. So do gated communities. PLUS is running pilot lanes with it on selected highways. But none of them talk to each other. The rollout isn't uniform but it's already changing how people experience everyday movement. Before all this, we were always tapping. Always queueing. Always wondering if the sensor would work, or whether we had enough credit loaded. I once had to email a car park operator to prove I'd actually exited, because the gate didn't record it. That's the kind of mess this technology solves in seconds. Sure, we have RFID, and yes, it links to an app and gets the job done, but it still needs a third thing: the tag and the e-wallet. ANPR doesn't. Your plate is the ID. The system sees it, matches it to your account, and charges you directly. It also has better detection rates. Now, I can drive in and out without thinking twice. The charges appear in the app. Receipts are there if I need them. The process fades into the background, which is exactly where it should be. Clean, fast, forgettable. I've started picking where to park based on whether I have to 'angkat ketiak' to tap my card at the boom gate. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin But for it to work at scale, we need more than just scattered upgrades. We need a proper system that links everything together, one that gives users a single view of their movements, payments, and any issues that come up. Right now, every mall, toll road, and operator is doing their own thing. As a technologist and, most importantly, a regular Malaysian who loves to drive, I find it hard to ignore how disjointed this still is. We've adopted the hardware, but not the logic of an ecosystem. The potential for smarter integration is sitting right there, not just smoother tolling, but safer roads, easier tracking, and real-time billing. Other countries have figured this out. Like in the UK, there's a national database that supports everything from traffic enforcement to congestion charges. In Singapore, you don't need physical tags or cards, the gantries pick up your plate, calculate the charge based on road conditions, and send you the bill. Parking is seamless. Disputes can be filed in-app. It all works because the systems are designed to speak to each other. We don't need to copy those models exactly but we should be asking the same questions. Why isn't there a single place to view our logs? Why can't we contest a wrong charge instantly, and perhaps, in a centralised system? Why are we still managing five separate platforms for things that involve the same car and the same road? This tech could do more than open gates, it could help track stolen vehicles, monitor congestion, prevent overstays at EV chargers, or simplify entry into restricted areas. But none of that matters if the ecosystem is fragmented and the user is locked out of their own data. We're already being scanned, that part is done. The next step is giving people access, to their movement history, to billing clarity, to some level of control. Without that, it risks becoming just another black box that works until it doesn't. Until then, I'll keep judging malls by how often they make me 'angkat ketiak'. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Johor exco: Drivers can use six-lane upgrade on PLUS highway near Kulai from next year
JOHOR BAHRU, July 25 — North-South Expressway (PLUS) users are expected to begin enjoying six-lane convenience as early as next year when a four-kilometre stretch of the Kulai to Sedenak highway widening project is opened in phases. State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said the stretch was part of Phase 1, Package 1, involving a 14-kilometre widening project from Kulai to Sedenak costing RM249 million. 'Construction work began on June 28 last year and is expected to be fully completed by June 28, 2027. As of now, project progress stands at 16.44 per cent compared to the original schedule of 20.02 per cent, a delay of 3.58 per cent. 'Therefore, the state government has held discussions with the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), PLUS Malaysia Berhad, and the contractors involved to ensure the project is back on schedule by this September,' he said in a Facebook post today. For Phase 1, Package 2, the widening works covering seven kilometres from Sedenak to Simpang Renggam began on June 22 with a cost of RM160 million, and is currently at the initial construction stage. The project is expected to be completed by Dec 22, 2027. Meanwhile, for Phase 2 involving a 16-kilometre stretch from Simpang Renggam to Machap, the main contractor was appointed on July 1 and is expected to commence site work this Sunday, July 27. This phase costs RM439 million and is slated for full completion by July 27, 2029. The highway widening project is implemented to improve traffic flow along the main southern route of the country and support the state's infrastructure development agenda under the Maju Johor 2030 initiative. — Bernama
Malaysian Reserve
6 days ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
Four-kilometre stretch of Kulai-Sedenak highway widening to open next year
NORTH-South Expressway (PLUS) users are expected to begin enjoying six-lane convenience as early as next year when a four-kilometre stretch of the Kulai to Sedenak highway widening project is opened in phases. State Public Works, Transport, Infrastructure and Communications Committee chairman Mohamad Fazli Mohamad Salleh said the stretch was part of Phase 1, Package 1, involving a 14-kilometre widening project from Kulai to Sedenak costing RM249 million. 'Construction work began on June 28 last year and is expected to be fully completed by June 28, 2027. As of now, project progress stands at 16.44 per cent compared to the original schedule of 20.02 per cent, a delay of 3.58 per cent. 'Therefore, the state government has held discussions with the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM), PLUS Malaysia Berhad, and the contractors involved to ensure the project is back on schedule by this September,' he said in a Facebook post today. For Phase 1, Package 2, the widening works covering seven kilometres from Sedenak to Simpang Renggam began on June 22 with a cost of RM160 million, and is currently at the initial construction stage. The project is expected to be completed by Dec 22, 2027. Meanwhile, for Phase 2 involving a 16-kilometre stretch from Simpang Renggam to Machap, the main contractor was appointed on July 1 and is expected to commence site work this Sunday, July 27. This phase costs RM439 million and is slated for full completion by July 27, 2029. The highway widening project is implemented to improve traffic flow along the main southern route of the country and support the state's infrastructure development agenda under the Maju Johor 2030 initiative. — BERNAMA
The Star
22-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Contra flow at Second Link on July 23 for emergency response drill
ISKANDAR PUTERI: A contra flow will be activated on the Second Link crossing between Johor and Singapore to accommodate a bilateral chemical spill exercise on Wednesday (July 23). PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) said the contra lane will be activated from 4am to 2pm on Wednesday, covering KM1.70 and KM0.60 (northbound) between the Singapore Customs building complex and the Kompleks Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and quarantine building. "This is to conduct an emergency simulation exercise for chemical spill response as part of the 14th Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment bilateral collaboration. 'The simulation aims to test the efficiency, response time, preparedness and coordinated actions of emergency responders and relevant agencies from both countries in managing emergency scenarios,' PLUS said in a statement on Tuesday (July 22). Highway users are encouraged to plan their journeys using the PLUS application to obtain the latest traffic information. 'They are also advised to obey all traffic signs and instructions issued by PLUS personnel when passing through the affected area. "We thank highway users for their patience and cooperation throughout the exercise," the statement read. Highway users can also obtain the latest traffic information through the Putri virtual assistant, on X @plustrafik, and electronic signboards at selected locations. They can also contact PLUSLine at 1800-88-0000 in the event of any emergencies.
The Star
20-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Star
Upkeep on NKVE, Elite highways underway
KUALA LUMPUR: Users of the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) and the North-South Expressway Central Link (Elite) highways are advised to plan their journeys as maintenance works are being carried out, says PLUS Malaysia Berhad. It said that maintenance works involving drainage systems and right lane closures in both directions on the NKVE are now underway until Oct 14. This encompasses the Damansara-Bukit Lanjan route at Km19.3 to Km20.0 as well as road diversions at locations activated to ensure the comfort and safety of highway users. Meanwhile, on the Elite Highway, maintenance works are scheduled from July 21 to 25, between 11pm and 5am. These works will affect the Putrajaya-Bandar Saujana Putra route, specifically from Km19.5 to Km18.0, in relation to the launching of bridge beams and the activation of contra lanes, reported Bernama. In a separate statement, PLUS announced that the Smart Lane route from Kulai to Sedenak at Km26.7 to Km33.7 (Northbound) will be closed starting tomorrow as part of ongoing efforts to improve the highway infrastructure. PLUS announced the closure to make way for the implementation of lane addition works in the area. 'During the period, the two existing lanes at the affected locations will be open as usual to maintain traffic flow and minimise disruptions to highway users,' it said. Meanwhile, the Smart Lane route from Senai to Kulai at Km19.0 to Km26.7 (Northbound) will operate as usual. 'Users can get the latest traffic information via the PLUS Application, PUTRI Virtual Assistant, X@plustrafik application, or electronic signage (VMS) at selected locations,' PLUS said. The public can call PLUSLine at 1800-88-0000 for emergency help.
