Lim questions why toll collection on North-South Highway wasn't abolished

GEORGE TOWN: Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng today questioned why the North-South Highway tolls were not abolished, even though the highway has fully paid up its construction and investment cost.
Lim said this contradicts the decision by the federal government to abolish the Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasah tolls in Selangor, and the Bukit Kayu Hitam toll in Kedah.
He said those tolls have not yet paid up their up their cost, yet they had their toll collection ended.
"Why toll collection in North-South Highway is still collecting tolls although they have fully paid their cost and make profits," he said during a press conference after opening the Penang Maths Platform (PMP) at Karpal Singh Penang Learning Center (KSPLC) in Gelugor.
Lim said the announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during Budget 2018 did not reveal how much the federal government must compensate PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) – the concessionaire for the Federal Highway – for abolishing toll collections at the highway beginning next year.
"But now it has been revealed, where a total of RM102 million for the two tolls in Selangor and another RM 8 million in Bukit Kayu Hitam for 20 years, which make a sum of a whopping RM2.04 billion," he said, adding that it will be Malaysians including those in Sabah and Sarawak who don't use the highways that have to pay the compensation.
Lim also questioned why when the announcement was made, the Prime Minister didn't explain the cost to compensate the abolishment as it is a very huge amount and an important piece of information.
"Is it because the Finance Ministry or his staff don't really know the costing, it is a big amount, don't says its free, it is the price we Malaysians have to pay," he said.
Earlier during his opening speech, Lim said the future will not count if the younger generation now doesn't have good skills in mathematics.
He said it does not matter whether its male or female or comes from different ethnic or religious background, but if they have good aptitude in mathematics, they will have a good future.
"Every Penangites must have a basic math, here at PMP they have opportunity to master, if all of your children wants to master the future, you must know how to count, if you don't know how to count, don't count on the future," he said adding that the opening of PMP is an attempt by the state government to broaden the teaching of maths to the community.
PMP is set up as a dedicated centre to promote greater interest in math and is the first centre of its kind in Penang where the agenda and programs cover all levels of need, from pre-school students to professionals in the field of mathematical sciences.
PMP officially opens its doors to the public, offering facilties and resources dedicated to the study of mathematics.
It will also be part of the ecosystem that nurtures Penang's vision to be the centre of excellence for STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.