KTMB said this initiative aims to foster a more efficient and competitive society, aligning with the government’s aspirations for digitalisation, which prioritises inclusion, security and transparency.
The move also supports the national leadership’s efforts to accelerate Malaysia’s transformation into a competitive digital economy, including the transition to a cashless society.
KTMB group CEO Rani Hisham Samsudin said the company is in a transition phase, which will last until the end of the year, to raise awareness among the public, especially the elderly and disabled, about the shift to cashless payments.
“During this transition period, ticket counters will continue to accept cash transactions. However, once the initiative is implemented, all transactions will be cashless,” he said in a statement today.
Rani said KTMB is actively promoting the initiative through various channels, including its official social media accounts, the distribution of promotional materials at stations, and announcements made on trains.
Additionally, KTMB is collaborating with local banks at selected stations to help individuals who do not possess debit cards.
Frontline staff will also be available at stations to help users register for the KTMB Mobile (KITS) application or the Komuter Link card, guiding them through the ticket purchasing process. They will also assist in buying tickets through kiosk machines.
To further encourage public adoption of cashless transactions, KTMB is offering 500 free rail points for the first 1,000 KITS registrations and distributing 1,000 Komuter Link cards at no charge.
Statistics show that about 82% of passengers currently use online payment methods for Electric Train Services (ETS) and Shuttle Tebrau via KITS, while the adoption rate of cashless payment systems for KTM Komuter services in the Klang Valley and northern sectors is at 71%.
To date, KTMB has registered over three million accounts for purchasing ETS, KTM Intercity, Shuttle Tebrau, and KTM Komuter tickets through the KITS application.