The government will need to pay RM994.43 million in compensation to highway toll concessionaires for 2019, according to reports by The Star and NST. This is due to the government’s decision to freeze toll hikes and abolish motorcycle tolls on certain highways.
Finance minister Lim Guan Eng stated that out of the total sum, RM972.75 million will be paid to the relevant highway toll concessionaries operating 21 highways, all of which are eligible for an increase in 2019. Among the highways that will have their toll hikes frozen include the Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE) and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), among others.
Lim also noted the amount is an addition to the toll freeze hike on inter-city highways announced during the tabling of Budget 2019, an exercise that would cost the government around RM700 million.
Meanwhile, the abolishment of toll collection for motorcycles on both Penang bridges as well as the Second Link to Singapore from January 1, will cost approximately RM20 million. As for the remaining RM1.68 million, it will be allocated to freeze toll hikes on eight separate highways next year.
“The comprehensive toll hike freeze is an ongoing effort by the Pakatan Harapan-led federal government to alleviate the burden of rising living costs borne by all Malaysians,” Lim said in a statement.
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