12 June 2025 Seoul, South Korea: Handal Indah Sdn Bhd, Malaysia’s largest private bus operator and the company behind the iconic Causeway Link brand, proudly presented its pioneering digital transformation journey at the Mobility Payments Asia Pacific (MPAP) 2025 conference held in Seoul, South Korea.

Representing the company’s innovation efforts was Handy Santono, Head of Technology at HI Mobility Berhad. In his presentation, he highlighted the company’s continued push toward a smarter, more efficient, and sustainable urban transit ecosystem.

With a fleet of over 700 buses operating across 10 major cities and towns in Peninsular Malaysia, and serving more than 3.5 million passengers monthly, Handal Indah has become a key leader in advancing public transport through digital innovation.

The company’s cashless journey began in 2012 with the launch of the ManjaLink prepaid card and ManjaPay eWallet, enabling a closed-loop ticketing system for commuters on Causeway Link services. In 2022, Handal Indah took a bold step forward by partnering with Visa to introduce EMV contactless payment on both cross-border and domestic buses a breakthrough in enabling open-loop payment acceptance in the Malaysian bus industry.

This move has led to over 77% adoption of cashless payments, contributing to reduced operational costs, improved efficiency, and supporting Handal Indah’s long-term sustainability goals.

To further enhance the passenger experience, Handal Indah collaborated with LUGO, a lifestyle mobility platform that combines trip planning, real-time service updates, and contactless ticketing into one streamlined mobile application. This partnership underscores the company’s mission to provide commuters with accessible, reliable, and integrated transport solutions.

At MPAP2025, Handy Santono joined a distinguished panel of experts in transit payments and smart mobility. With more than 70% of delegates representing transit authorities, operators, ticketing schemes, banks, and payment solution providers, the event served as a critical platform for sharing Malaysia’s contributions to regional innovation in urban transport.

“We are honored to represent Malaysia on this international stage,” said Handy Santono. “Our journey demonstrates how a local company can drive digital innovation in public transportation, delivering real benefits to commuters while setting a benchmark for operational excellence and sustainability.”

Established in 2002 as a local bus service operator in Johor Bahru, Handal Indah made history by launching Malaysia’s first cross-border bus service to Singapore under the Causeway Link brand (in 2003). Over the years, the company has grown into a trusted and forward-thinking transport provider, offering both cross-border and domestic routes with a strong commitment to innovation, affordability, and customer satisfaction.