Could There Be Another Toll Hike In 2016?
According to Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, the toll hike is overdue as it was supposed to be done last January.
By Tang Ruxyn — 24 Mar 2016, 10:32 AM
The government may have to increase the toll rates later this year or risk paying RM1 billion to toll concessionaires as compensation
Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the government would need over RM1 billion as opposed to the RM500 million set aside at the moment.
He explained that this was the amount needed to compensate eight concessionaires of 30 highways if the toll rates were not increased.
Fadillah, however, did not clarify as to whether or not there will be an increase in the toll rates.
According to Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, the highway operator could have raised the toll rate last January, but the matter is still under discussion
“For the time being, there is no (toll rate) raise, wait for it (the announcement). We are still negotiating with the highway companies," he said, noting that the toll rates of several concessionaires including Plus Malaysia Bhd and intercity highways were due for increment.
He said the government has not decided on the toll hike yet as it is still studying the agreements and looking at various aspects including the high cost of living, government’s financial capability, and highway traffic volume, among others.
If you remember the government's promise to reduce toll rates, the current negotiation was also made with that in mind, according to Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof
"We remember, there was a Barisan Nasional (BN) government manifesto on the toll rates between the towns which would not be raised, we are aware of it and we discussed with the concession company," he said.
Referring to the BN manifesto, Fadillah said it only involved two highways namely the PLUS Highway and the East Coast Expressway (LPT).
He said only these two highways linked the towns and the states, while the other highways in the Klang Valley were not included in the manifesto.
However, he said the government took measures to help the people in towns who were burdened by the toll charges including terminating the toll collection for certain roads besides encouraging the concession companies to implement rebate and discount programmes for consumers.
bernama.com