Saturday, July 17, 2010

Remove subsidies of tolled-roads where there exist reasonable alternative public roads.

If the government want to 'cut subsidies', it should start by removing all subsidies in toll, for roads where there exist alternative toll-free public roads. All these money wasted in subsidies could have been better utilized up-grading and/or building alternative toll-free roads.

What are the toll-highways, where the government can stop subsidizing users?
Karak - Kuantan Highway - where one can still use the alternative roads from Karak (maybe even Bentong) to Kuantan. There is no reasonable alternative road from KL to Bentong.
North-South Highway - where there are lot of stretches where people can use alternative roads.
.....


Those who still want to use the tolled-roads could very easily pay. The drop in the number of road-users when subsidy is removed will, I believe, force the said companies to review their toll-rate, and maybe even reduce it. Market forces will determine 'toll-rates'...and we can certainly save a lot of money, which could be better used upgrading alternative roads...and other roads in the country. [The government should really bring back the JKR as it was before, with its workers and machinery and ability to build government roads. The practice of tendering out road maintenance ...and road building of public roads should be stopped. This will certainly save money...and bring about greater efficiency...

The principle is the same as healthcare. Government should provide free universal healthcare to all. Persons who want 'better' or wants to get healthcare elsewhere are free to get their healthcare from private hospitals, clinics, etc ..

It is also the same with education. Of course, there are Malaysians who would like to get 'better' education....and they chose to send their children to the private scholls, colleges, etc...and if you want to do that, you pay for it. 
Many a time this practice of going to private hospitals, clinics, schools, colleges, etc ...and not utilizing what has been made available by the government for the public is really  a 'class thingy'... a 'status thingy..' - but for those who want to indulge in such behavior, so be it - but the government should not be subsidizing them


1 comment:

nckeat88 said...

I think you are too naive. Remove the highways subsidy means higher transportation cost for everything which lead to inflation and higher price for all goods.