Earlier this week, an opposition lawmaker has suggested that the government close the Gombak and Karak toll plazas on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) and East Coast Expressway (ECE) to ease congestion. The proposal has since been emphatically shot down by works minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, according to the New Straits Times.
Speaking at the opening of section 5 of the Raub bypass on the Central Spine Road (CSR) yesterday, Nanta Linggi said such a move to abolish tolls on the Karak and ECE highways would incur greater costs for road maintenance, which the government would have to bear.
“At the moment, we have no plans to abolish the tolls,” he said. “We need the [toll] funds for highway maintenance and to ensure the safety of road users. If the tolls are abolished, the government will have to secure funds to maintain the highway and plan maintenance works. A lack of funds will jeopardise [maintaining the highways].”
Nanta Linggi’s remarks were in response to PAS deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who urged the government to close the Gombak and Karak toll plazas as they were causing congestion. The Kubang Kerian MP told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that motorists had to pass four toll plazas (including Bentong and their respective exit points) when they should only pass through two.
Aside from confirming the government has no plans for closing the aforementioned toll plazas, Nanta Linggi also said there have been no discussions regarding the implementation of an open payment toll collection system on the Karak highway.
When asked whether the government would consider implementing the system to ease congestion, particularly during weekends and public holidays, he said: “Open payment has not been discussed. Open payment on the KLK needs to be studied, and if there is a need, it has to be fine-tuned.”
Nanta Linggi said he will also advise highway concessionaires not to carry out maintenance work during peak and festive seasons. “Last year, before the [Hari Raya] Aidilfitri celebration, I went to the Gombak toll plaza and issued instructions. Concessionaire companies must not carry out works that require lanes to be closed during peak and festive seasons. Doing maintenance works during heavy traffic only causes congestion, but if work has to be carried out, it can be done at another time.”
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Pan borneo highway got toll?
PAS buat lah negara sendri. Sume barang nak free.. Kikiki
As above.
PH Gomen continue to troll millions of Msians
Then festive season you give toll free when government has no money for maintenance. Isn’t this contradicting with ministry spending .
really? you want to compare with 3-4 days toll free during festive season (highest traffic = highest profit) with toll free for life?
One gotta love that previous Environmental Man for not suggesting removal of tolls can stop congestion but then can’t expect much since back in 2021 he said that Malaysia is not a Climate Vulnerable Country and then go dishing out all direct negotiation tender flood mitigation works to his cronies.
Anwar menang tol hapus
Refer my name
Yes the fund is needed for all the road works etc. But are they? LMAO
They don’t want many people to go to Genting if the toll is abolished
they really abolished the gate toll to genting (canceled). so?
Implement contra lanes alongside KLK highway instead of adding lanes of both directions in order to overcome traffic jams every holiday and festive seasons.
Toll charges for road maintenance between Gombak and Karak….. boleh percaya ke ni? Mesti lah minister opposed, dia tak bayar toll…. ease traffic jam?…. minister ade polis escort…. other drivers don’t give way, sia sia kena maki from traffic polis…. how?
but 33 months PN minister also opposed. so? if give free toll and no road maintenance, what will happened? like in kelantan n terengganu, no cukai pintu, many cukai abolished, so who want to maintain the beach, river?
Kenapa si hazri ni suka cakap benda2 bodoh ya?
Please do something Government..tired of jammed at toll, why so slow when other countries use gantry already, look at our neighbourhood country
I believe the highway concessionaire announced widening highway by another lane recently. Hence toll duration extended. Once a taxation is imposed, very difficult to get rid off.
Promised free toll before winning the election. Now the dogs are peeing on the Rakyat. Rasakan.