Pakatan Harapan (PH) will remove toll in stages within 100 days of governing if it wins the upcoming general election (GE), Sinar Harian reports.
“We will remove toll in stages based on concession contracts. The procedures of the abolishment in stages will be announced when we take over Putrajaya,” PH chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday after chairing the PH presidential council meeting in parliament.
Mahathir added that the opposition coalition will also scrap the goods and services tax (GST) within 100 days of taking power, while providing free public higher education. In PH’s GE14 manifesto, the opposition also promises targeted fuel subsidies to eligible groups and a reduction of excise duties on imported cars below 1,600 cc, to assist first-time car buyers.
In February, prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said that he’s not a fan of tolls, but abolishing them isn’t that easy. “Take for instance abolishing tolls, oh very easy. It’s actually not, but I don’t believe that if you are charged toll a daily basis, it’s good for the rakyat,” he said.
“If it’s the North-South Expressway, if it’s the Karak Expressway, then yes, you only use them once in a while. But if you are paying tolls daily, twice, four times, anyone would be upset.
“So, I don’t believe that. My predecessor was a great believer in toll. I do not like toll. Which is why there is no toll on the Pan Borneo Highway for the people of Sabah and Sarawak. Batu Tiga, Sungai Rasau, Bukit Kayu Hitam, EDL (Eastern Dispersal Link), we abolished (toll collection) there.
“Wherever I can, I will abolish toll because I don’t think it’s good. It’s upsetting and creates jam, but we can do it because I have to unravel some of the earlier decisions, legacy problem. I will unravel what I think is not to the interest of the people of Malaysia, that I will do,” Najib added.
It’s GE time when all sorts of promises are made to lure voters, and the words ‘turunkan’ and ‘mansuhkan’ are popular. But bear in mind that many of the toll concessions were signed by previous administrations, some under Mahathir’s watch.
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Reduce public money leakages. And unless major corruption scandals in the country are resolved satisfactorily, Malaysia’s ranking is likely to further fall in the next few years.
Malaysia is actually a super rich country. We do not need tolls if there was no corruption and stealing going on. Corruption alone costs the country tens of billions ringgit per annum. This money, can be used to abolish tolls.
Look at Singapore, they got no resources also, yet, tolls are minimum. Our country is super rich with every natural resource in the world….oil, gas, tin, rubber, bauxite, gold, copper, kuprum and hundreds of others rare minerals.
Curb corruption and all tolls can be free
Stupid. It’s damn easy to manage Singapore compared to Malaysia due to the number of residents and size of the country itself. Singapore size is less than 2% of Malaysia, and they probably need to build less than 2% of highway needed in Malaysia as well.
If size is the matter to justify success, why is there is no another Singapore?
If size is the matter to succeed, should Malaysia be richer and more successfull than any other size-bigger countries like China? Japan?
If you were given a choice, would you hope to be born in a big and rich family or a small
and bloody poor family?
Stop being fooled and silly, Malaysian!!! justify things based on facts and not by feelings!
I just back from road trip at oz for 3000km. Oz is even bigger than Europe itself and yes I only pay toll when I enter to CBD at Melbourne a few times. Other that that toll free. U la stupid. Go outside and see more b4 say sg is small and easy to manage. If sg is 2% of msia then msia is 2% of oz.
They got their GST that soon will be increase. No?
as much as i love non-toll highways, i am more fearful of the malaysia-boleh maintenance practices..
at least on toll roads, they are maintained well, motorized sweepers, garbage collectors, patrols, repairs
who is going to maintain those highways if it’s not tolled ? JKR – Joker Kepada Rakyat ?
just look at the state of federal roads….. deathtraps.
Come see Selangor. Now become Darul Pothole alredi.
Yes it is rich. But population growth far exceeds the accumulation of wealth. Singapore controlled that. So dont compare. If you are rich and you have too many children, you will soon end up in poor bracket.
His track record prove otherwise. So sorry Dr. M, I do not trust you.
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek, We.
U cant teach old dogs new tricks.
Once bitten, twice shy.
Fool me once, shame on u. Fool me twice, shame on me.
Out of frying pan, into the fire.
Better get fried than burnt to ashes.
But from the ashes we can rise again like phoenix.
Get fried pulak only become crispy rendang.
Can rise like a phoenix or disappear for good. Another thing, don’t play play with crispy Brendan.. later can become popular…
How to become popular when it dun exist?
Better wait for someone who walk the talk rather than talk cock. Change for the sake of change is no change at all and is very dangerous. You will definitely loose a lot more than you gain.
But … Cash is King … So he is King
I don’t believe you.
I’m okay with tolls. It’s just that their stupidly place. Toll booths should only be found at entrances and extis and charge on the distance traveled.
Tailo..
If you build the toll gates near the entrance, the jam will overflow to the smaller roads laa. Same with exit, traffic will be backed up to the main highway.That’s why they build toll booths on the widest stretch of land available.
Ok, great promise Dr M and Najib, please enlighten us with how are either parties going to fund this long term? We know there isn’t extra money floating around so where should the money be siphoned out from? If there is those money floating around then why wasn’t it done long ago?
Most of the toll operators were there during his time. If he returns and tell them to go, I’m sure they will…. Tun M is someone everyone listens to.
We all know plus shud have been toll free by may 2018 this year
But because someone signed an extension to 2038 then its not going to be free until 20 more years and god knows after will it be until 200 more years
Hint on this someone : not mahathir
The problem with this guy is trust deficit too huge. Lacking of appearance you can make up with intelligence
Lack of trust nothing u can do
Charge the users, no problemo.
Sabah & Sarawak need to foot part of the cost, HELL NO!
because Dr M signed agreement where there govt needs to compensate for so many shortfalls or else need to extend the collection period. it is as good as guaranteed profit, no risk business to the operator.
Abolish GST. I am sold.
And replace with what? Leaf money?
Too bad I am a GST fan. At least, i am paying less income tax rate than before. Why the hell do i need to subsidize those who never pay any taxes (e.g freelancers) at all if they can afford to buy GST stuffs
Agreed. Eliminate subsidies, prioritise local products, targeted assistance to those in need.
Forgive him. Most Mysian did not pay income tax. So they didn’t know how people who pay income tax feel.
You meant freeloaders right?
Freelancers can earn quite well but not declare income, no?
hahaha, declared by the one who installed it at the 1st place