KUCHING: Senior citizens here can now park their vehicles without worrying about making payments manually, thanks to the newly introduced ‘Elderly Easy Payment’ feature under the Kuching Smart Parking (KSP) system.
Pay & Go managing director Eddie Wee said the innovation allows registered elderly drivers aged 60 and above to have their parking fees automatically deducted whenever their vehicle is detected — removing the need to use apps, coupons, or manual transactions.
“We want to make it very easy and stress-free for the elderly to pay for parking.
“Once they register their vehicle, they do not need to do anything — just park and go,” he said this when met by reporters at the KSP site at Jalan Song Thian Cheok today
He said senior motorists only need to register once, either online or offline at Kuching South City Council (MBKS) and Kuching North City Commission (DBKU).
Once registered, the system will recognise their vehicle plate when scanned by enforcement officers using Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices or smart e-bikes, and automatically charge the parking fee.
“When our officer scans the car plate, the system will identify it as a registered elderly driver’s vehicle and charge accordingly.
“If the car is still there after the next half hour, another 50 sen will be deducted automatically,” he said.
Wee also highlighted that the Elderly Easy Payment system covers both council and commercial parking zones, including The Spring and Plaza Merdeka, making Kuching the first city in Malaysia and Asean to achieve such integration.
“This integration between council and commercial parking systems is something no other city has done. Kuching is the first, and that’s something Sarawakians can be very proud of,” he said.
The initiative is part of Pay & Go’s efforts, in collaboration with MBKS and DBKU, to make Kuching a smart, inclusive, and people-friendly city.
Apart from the ‘Elderly Easy Payment’, the upgraded KSP system also includes:
- Refundable unused parking time: users can stop their session and get a refund if they leave early.
- QR code payment options: for tourists and users without the mobile app.
- Real-time parking display: showing available parking spaces on the app to help drivers save time and reduce carbon emissions.
Wee said these features are designed to ensure that technological advancements serve both the government’s and the public’s interests.
“Technology should make life easier for people. What we’ve achieved in Kuching shows that we can use innovation for the good of everyone,” he added.
