A RECENT online survey found Sarawakians rooting for wider adoption of Pay & Go’s smart parking system across the city.
The survey, conducted by Pay & Go Sdn Bhd between May 29 and June 13, reached 5,169 drivers and app users across Kuching and Sarawak.
According to the poll, almost 84 per cent of respondents said they already use the Pay & Go app for parking in Kuching.
Among them, 95.9 per cent rated the system as excellent or good, pointing to a high level of satisfaction with the ticketless, cashless model.
The support for expansion was even clearer with more than 92 per cent of all respondents, including non-users, who said they would support Pay & Go being extended to on-street council parking.
Nearly 98 per cent said it was important for council parking to use the same payment system already applied in malls and hotels across the city.
When asked about the most important features of a smart parking system, 90.5 per cent of drivers chose easy mobile payments as their top priority.
More than half the respondents also wanted one app to cover all payments, including both mall and street parking.
Real-time parking availability (50.1 per cent), quick compound payments (37.2 per cent), automated billing and reminders (35.2 per cent), and EV charging integration (15 per cent) also featured strongly.
Together, the result suggested that drivers want a system that is convenient, integrated and future-ready.
Looking at the situation, Sarawak Tribune spoke with the public to hear their experiences on the smart parking system by Pay & Go.
Farah Aishah Edwin Chandra Perkasa, 24:
I find that it has actually made the whole process easier as I don’t have to stand in line to pay for my parking. Looking back on previous cases of parking machines not working and causing long lines in the shopping malls, the Pay & Go app has really changed the game for Kuching.
However, I do feel that standardising the use of Pay & Go app for parking payments should be done as certain shopping malls opt to use Sarawak Pay instead. Although the Sarawak Pay app is a good initiative, I personally seem to struggle logging into the app as it always states that ‘there was a problem with the connection’ when in fact my connection was perfectly fine. All in all, the Pay & Go app is a real game changer.
Elissa Stella Rafael, 28:
I find it much more convenient because it’s cashless. I no longer have to worry about running out of coins or cash when parking, which makes the whole process less stressful and more efficient.
Pay & Go definitely makes parking easier and more convenient. However, there is still room for improvement, such as ensuring the app runs smoothly without glitches and providing clearer instructions for first-time users.
Bilgray Clif, 33:
I use Pay & Go whenever I go to the mall. No more digging for small change or waiting in line at the autopay machine.
It saves me time and makes my weekend shopping less stressful.
Jeffrey Tawi, 24:
Ever since the implementation of Pay & Go, paying for parking at wherever I go has become seamless and convenient. No longer do I need to find the parking payment counter to pay my parking ticket.
The good thing about Pay & Go also is that my parents, who are hard of walking and technology illiterate, don’t have to trouble themselves to download the application and pay their tickets when they visit the supermarket. This enables them to visit a place, to do what they want and need to do, without the extra steps. All they have to do is call me to pay for their parking, and I can do so wherever I am.
Sometimes systems go down at certain places making it difficult to pay and exit swiftly. Certain places do not have good internet connection, which slows down payment. Otherwise, Pay & Go is a thoughtful initiative, especially since we are moving towards digitalisation.
