Works ministry again postpones toll fare hike for three highways

KUALA LUMPUR:The increase in toll rates for three major highways in the country was supposed to begin on Jan 1, 2021, but the government deferred the scheduled increase for the whole year in April. Included in the list were 3 highways - Shah Alam Highway (Kesas), South Klang Valley Highway (SKVE), and East Coast Highway Phase 2 (LPT2). The reason for the delay was the rise in living costs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Fast forward to today, the works minister postponed the increase in toll rates for these highways this year as well, as reported by The Star.

“The government has decided to restructure the toll rates and this is to be negotiated with the highway concessionaires and must be finalised before 2023. Throughout the negotiation period, the gazetted toll rates are maintained and the postponement of the toll rate increase will be continued for 2022,” the ministry stated.

The statement came in response to the question of whether the scheduled hike will be implemented in 2022, asked by Gobind Singh Deo (PH-Puchong) in Parliament.

Further, the Works Minister added that if the government implements lower toll rates or even abolishes toll collection, then it would have to pay all compensation to the highway concessionaires as per the signed concession agreement.

Besides the above-mentioned three highways, the government also postponed the toll fare rise for 26 other highways last year. Some of them are Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (Duke), KL-Putrajaya Highway (MEX), North South Highway (Plus), and Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP).

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