KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 — The operator of the Smart Selangor free bus service has defended the decision to require smartphone apps to use the system, after a transit advocate criticised this as needlessly cumbersome and unreliable.

Responding to the advocate who posted from the @slainthayer account on X, the Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU) said the solution was essential to ensure the bus service was free only to Malaysians and to provide data needed for future route planning.