Government yet to decide on toll rate hike this year

KUALA LUMPUR: The Association of Highway Concessionaires Malaysia (PSKLM) said the government has not made any decision on whether there will be an increase in toll rates this year.
Last year, the government forked out RM400 million to expressway concession holders to maintain toll rates.
"There has been no decision made by the government yet. For the moment there is no increase in toll charges," its president Datuk Ir. Zainudin A. Kadir told a press conference after launching its three-day PSKLM International Conference and Exhibition (PIECE 2015) yesterday.
Previously, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the RM558.69 million allocation for compensation to toll concessionaires during the winding speech of the ministerial Budget 2015 was prepared as a precaution in case the government decided not to increase toll rates this year.
Fadillah added that if toll hikes were approved, the compensation could be used for other projects such as building new roads and maintaining existing ones.
Meanwhile, Zainudin said toll collection is expected to go fully automated by 2018, in which 21 toll plazas have been targeted in implementing the 100% electronic toll collection system by end of this year, from 7 currently.
He said the road users would have to use the PLUSMiles or Touch n Go cards or SmartTag to pass through the toll plazas.
"Many are still reluctant to use the prepaid payment cards even though the cost is minimal," he added, noting currently there is a promotional price for the SmartTag units at RM96 each, compared to the actual price of RM120.
During a press conference, Zainudin pointed out that by 2017, private transport would still make up 75% of the 9.4 million daily person trips in the Klang Valley, with trips by car making up 77% of this figure.
"So highways are still relevant, and this (PIECE 2015) conference and exhibition will showcase some of the latest trends and technologies highway operators are bringing to Malaysian road users," added Zainudin who is also group chief executive of the Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), one of the 23 highway concessionaires in the country.
PIECE 2015, which is the third conference organised by PSKLM since 2010, act as a business platform for the expressway community to discuss issues impacting the industry, identify opportunities, address common challenges and build networks.
The conference and exhibition, which includes business matching sessions, workshops and site visits is expected to draw around 500 delegates and 30 exhibitors from Malaysia and the region.