Companies gearing up for release of new notes

PETALING JAYA: The introduction of Bank Negara’s new notes is expected to be smooth sailing as most ticket and parking machines are being recalibrated.

With the notes set to be issued this month, shopping malls and public transport operators are rushing to meet the deadline.

Bank Negara announced in April that new RM1, RM5, RM10, RM20 and RM100 bank notes would be released on July 16.

Syarikat Prasarana Negara Berhad media affairs manager Azhar Ghazali said most of its 286 ticket vending machines could now accept the new, smaller coins issued in January.

“We will try to finish the upgrading in time.”

Sunway Pyramid marketing and communications manager Darren Chear said upgrading works would begin once they have received the new bank notes.

“But the old notes will still be in circulation, so we won’t do a complete changeover yet,” he said, adding that its machines could accept both old and new coins now.

1Utama Shopping Centre senior public relations executive Joey Choong said it was also upgrading its machines.

Godell Parking Sdn Bhd, a licensed contractor for Petaling Jaya City Council, said the new notes would not affect its parking meters.

He said it had recalibrated 1,700 parking meters in January for the new coins, including those under the Subang Jaya Municipal Council and Kuala Langat District Council.