KUALA LUMPUR – The toll charges increment at three expressways that was supposed to begin on 1 January has been postponed until the end of the year in the government’s effort to reduce the cost-of-living of the people affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
The three highways are namely, the Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE) and East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (LPT2).
Senior Minister of Works Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said, the decision to delay the implementation of the toll hike was reached during the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday.
“Concerned with the rising cost-of-living due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Government in the Cabinet Meeting on Wednesday, 28 April 2021, has agreed to delay the increment of toll rate for 2021, beginning 1 January until 31 December 2021,” he said in a statement today.
He added, besides that, 21 expressways and one toll plaza has also delay their toll increment earlier.
Among the include the North-South Expressway (PLUS), Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE), Damansara Puchong Expressway (LDP) and the KL-Putrajaya Maju Expressway (MEX).
According to Fadillah, following the delay, the government needs to bear the compensation cost of RM2.25 billion and the estimation is based on the calculation formula in the concession agreement.
He explained the actual compensation of toll would be determined after the traffic verification process conducted by the Malaysia Highway Authority.
Fadillah said, the negotiation to restructure toll rate with the concessionaires is ongoing and the Cabinet has agreed to finalise it before 2023. –MalaysiaGazette
