Gov't U-turn: Toll hike put off

In a dramatic reversal, the government has decided to suspend toll hike of up to 33 percent for five major highways in Klang Valley announced yesterday.
The decision was made by the cabinet at its weekly meeting today chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Outgoing Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had yesterday call for the cabinet to reconsider toll hike of up to 33 percent for five major highways in Klang Valley.
Abdullah, who is attending an Asean defence ministers meeting in Thailand, said he was concerned that public anger over the latest hike could affect BN’s popularity especially ahead of three crucial by-elections.
The five affected highways are North-South Expressway (Plus), Sprint Highway (Sprint), Ampang Elevated Highway (Akleh), Sungai Besi Highway (Besraya) and New Pantai Expressway (NEP).
In an announcement yesterday, Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed said that toll rates in these five highways would go up on Sunday.
In a dramatic reversal, Mohd Zin said that the toll hike has been "deferred" in view of the public reaction and the ailing economy at a press conference at 4.30pm today.
"With that, my statement yesterday on the toll hike is cancelled," he said.
Toll increase put back to Dec 31
Mohd Zin said that the toll increase will be postponed to after Dec 31 this year.
With the 10-month delay, the government will have to pay RM287 million in compensation to the five toll concessionaires.
This is the second delay in toll hike for some of the highways.
The toll rate for Plus, Sprint and Akleh highways was supposed to have been increased on Jan 1, 2008 but this was deferred.
For that, the government to pay compensation totalling RM245 million - RM177 million to Plus, RM38 million to Sprint and RM30 million to Akleh.

tunku : THANK YOU GOVERNMENT.