The Touch ‘n Go card, which is highly associated with toll and parking payments, can now be used for retail payments.

In this introductory stage, six retail merchants comprising fast food chains Burger King and A&W, Dunkin Donuts, Caltex Starmart, Cathay Cineplexes and 7-Eleven make up a total of 15 outlets around the Klang Valley equipped with the Touch ‘n Go readers for payment purposes.

The Touch ‘n Go application will also be applicable for payment at outlets with drive-thru lanes.

Speaking at its launch in Mutiara Damansara today, Touch ‘n Go Sdn Bhd Executive Director En Mohd Hussein Ab Hamid said the new application was part of Touch ‘n Go expansion plan.

“It’s a natural progression for Touch ‘n Go, having been in the transportation-related sector for over 10 years. We are now ready to go retail, as we have already created a strong brand presence in the community”.

The company plans to expand the network of participating outlets at a rate of 20 new outlets per month, adding up to some 150 outlets by year-end.

In line with the Government’s vision of a cashless society, En Hussein added that at this introductory stage, the company’s main focus was to increase customer awareness of this new application.

“Although we are confident of customer acceptance, what’s more important is that the convenience of the Touch ‘n Go application is extended to a completely new sector.”

En Hussein also mentioned in his speech that with this new application sector, it would be imperative for Touch ‘n Go to expand its sales and reload points, which currently added up to some 1,700 locations nationwide. He said in the next few months, the sales and reload points would be increased to another 1,000 locations.

As reported in a recent Bank Negara report, the Touch ‘n Go electronic payment system is the most preferred cashless payment mode, handling over 50 per cent of cashless payment transactions in the country.