KUALA LUMPUR – The decision to abolish free tolls during festive seasons shows that the government is out of touch with the realities of everyday life for the people, said a Bersatu Supreme Council member.
While in opposition, the Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition had promised to abolish tolls if given the mandate to form the government, said Datuk Wan Saiful Wan Jan. However, it wasn’t tolls that are being abolished, instead, free tolls during festive seasons are being stopped, he added.
Wan Saiful also highlighted that the group most affected by the decision to stop free tolls during festive seasons is the M40 group, and this move is putting more pressure on the majority of the people in the country.
“I think offering free tolls during celebrations is not wrong and should be continued.
“They (the government) are sitting in their ivory tower and don’t understand the realities of the people below. The M40 is the most affected because the B40 receives targeted assistance. Meanwhile, the wealthy T15 will not be affected by the withdrawal of subsidies and free tolls. They don’t care.
“The government’s real focus should be on reviving the economy and increasing government revenue so that the people can receive more. When they fail to revive the economy, the impact is reduced funds,” he said when contacted by Scoop.
On Wednesday, Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said that free tolls will no longer be offered during festive seasons.
He said that last year’s Cabinet meeting had decided to find a more targeted approach for Malaysians which will be announced soon.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that offering free tolls during festive seasons would not solve the problem of congestion on highways.
Zahid said it is more important for road users to change their attitudes and plan their journeys when the festive season arrives.
Meanwhile, Bersatu vice president Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu said that people are now starting to increasingly realise that many of the promises made by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim “are just promises”.
He said Anwar previously promised to abolish tolls because they allegedly burdened the people, but now the actions of the government he leads are very different.
He further explained that people still remember the calls to abolish National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, reduce petrol prices, and other promises made to Malaysians which have yet to be fulfilled.
“Promises are just promises,” he said, while urging people to be frugal and careful when returning to their hometowns during the festive season.
Meanwhile, PAS information chief Fadhli Shaari said that PH had promised to review all highway concession agreements in their 15th general election (GE15) manifesto.
PH, he said, was also determined to continue the gradual reduction of tolls with the ultimate goal of abolishing tolls and returning PLUS highways to public ownership.
“Abolishing tolls is not an easy matter. The toll highway industry in Malaysia involves various stakeholders, including concession companies, financial institutions, and foreign investors.
“Based on the Works Ministry’s report, the cost of taking over highway concessions planned for the period 2020-2030 is expected to reach over RM130 billion.
“This includes compensation to concession companies for the loss of long-term income. In fact, the PH government itself had been in power after GE14 in 2018 and knew the difficulties of this. So why were they still bold enough to promise to abolish tolls if they knew it was not easy to implement?” he questioned.
Fadhli also criticised Zahid’s statement on free tolls, describing it as an attempt to deflect the real issue.
“Road congestion is a separate issue that requires better public transport planning, not an excuse to deny people the right to enjoy free tolls.
“Is Zahid saying that people need to pay tolls to ensure that the roads are not congested? This logic is only confusing and does not help solve the main problem,” he said.
According to Fadhli, Malaysians demand honesty, and if something is difficult to implement, it should be stated from the beginning, not by playing on giving hope to win votes.
“This decision is not just about free tolls, but it reflects a political culture that needs to be corrected – a culture of empty promises. And the people continue to be haunted by the promise of free tolls, which is like a never-ending dream,” he said. – January 23, 2025
