Friday, June 03, 2022

How much TOL, for how long must we pay private highway concessionaires/companies?

How much TOL and for how long... Again government letting private companies build highways... And happily says government will not spend anything - but fact is Rakyat will have to pay TOL at what rate for how long... 

Do the people want these highways -should there not be a Referendum -where people have the right to say whether they want such 'private' highways or not? 

Will the agreement with these private companies be disclosed to the public?... 

What Malaysia needs is an affordable public transport system... Trams, LRT, busses, etc... So that Malaysians can move around quickly and cheaply from place to place, without having to use private cars and motor bikes. This means, busses that run through housing areas, that links to other public transport that takes people to work, schools, shopping areas and entertainment spots... 

We need to reduce dependence on privately owned vehicle... Where people pay a lot to buy, the petrol and the parking - private transport is becoming an expensive luxury that is also not environment friendly.. 

Should not the government be promoting bicycles... And more healthy travel modes > hence bicycle lanes, and walking paths? 

Highway - it impacts so many other things as well... 

Government failure - lack of vision... 

As it is, Malaysia is already heavily subsidising cost of petrol... For private vehicles > which government must do now because of government failure to develop and maintain an effective affordable public transport system..

Focus should be on all towns small and medium sized that are growing - easier and cheaper now to set up effective public transport systems now including trains, lrt, busses, etc.. Bicycle paths, etc... Focus should shift from Klang Valley to the rest of Malaysia... 

Local government should be tasked with setting up an effective bus system in their area. One should be able to walk less than 200 meters to take a bus to work/schools and back... A system which will encourage less use of private vehicles...

 Public transport generally may not bring profits -so internal public transport must be government maintained...No private company will want a bus line from kampungs or small Tamans as not profitable.. So government (local council) ought to run these services.. 

MACC must also monitor closely these new highway projects... Did 'political funds' (the new name for bribes) flow to some politicians...???



 




Fadillah says concessionaires to fund new highways


Works Minister Fadillah Yusof says the government will not give highway concessionaires any more money. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, June 3, 2022.

NO new highway projects, including three in the Klang Valley, will receive funds from the government, said Works Minister Fadillah Yusof.

He said the concessionaires would have to bear the costs of these projects and any risks involved.

“There will no longer be any financial assistance from the government for all new highways. In fact, no assistance for land either. Previously, land acquisition cost for highway construction was partly financed by the government.

“Now, there will be no more soft loans; they will have to be shouldered by the concessionaires,” he said in Petaling Jaya last night.

It has been previously reported the Petaling Jaya Traffic Dispersal Elevated Highway (PJD Link), Putrajaya-Bangi Expressway (PBE) and Kuala Lumpur Northern Dispersal Expressway (KL-Node) projects have obtained approval in principle from the government.

On April 4, Fadillah said the government welcomed private takeover of concessionaires for the purpose of restructuring to reduce the financial burden to the taxpayer.

Earlier on the same day, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the government had agreed with the restructuring of four Klang Valley highway concessionaires: Kesas Sdn Bhd, Smart Tunnel, Sprint Expressway and LDP. – Bernama, June 3, 2022.

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