Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin on Wednesday announced that toll rates in all concessions in the Klang Valley will not be raised this year.
Muhyiddin said the decision to reduce the burden of rising cost of living by maintaining toll rates was decided at a Cabinet meeting recently.
“But I want to remind the users that this does not mean we don’t need to pay. We still need to pay," he said after chairing the Special Committee to Tackle Living Cost meeting in Putrajaya.
Muhyiddin said the government will now have to fork out RM400 million to be paid to toll concession companies for the decision to maintain the toll rates this year.
The announcement came as a relief for Klang Valley commuters especially as there were talks of toll rate hikes to take place this year.
Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar was reported to have said that impending toll rate hike in 2014 is unavoidable as it is an express condition in the concession agreement between the government and concession companies.
He said the toll rate should have been revised in 2011, as stated in the concession agreement.
There were talks earlier that the increase in 13 highways would likely be between 30 sen and RM1.
On another matter, Muhyiddin said an allocation of RM120 million will be given to the agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry like FAMA, NIKMAT and NAFAS to ensure sufficient vegetable and fish stock in the market.
He said the committee will also provide allocation of RM3.5 million to 20 consumer organisations to conduct awareness programs such as education campaigns.
Muhyiddin said the decision to reduce the burden of rising cost of living by maintaining toll rates was decided at a Cabinet meeting recently.
“But I want to remind the users that this does not mean we don’t need to pay. We still need to pay," he said after chairing the Special Committee to Tackle Living Cost meeting in Putrajaya.
Muhyiddin said the government will now have to fork out RM400 million to be paid to toll concession companies for the decision to maintain the toll rates this year.
The announcement came as a relief for Klang Valley commuters especially as there were talks of toll rate hikes to take place this year.
Last year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar was reported to have said that impending toll rate hike in 2014 is unavoidable as it is an express condition in the concession agreement between the government and concession companies.
He said the toll rate should have been revised in 2011, as stated in the concession agreement.
There were talks earlier that the increase in 13 highways would likely be between 30 sen and RM1.
On another matter, Muhyiddin said an allocation of RM120 million will be given to the agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry like FAMA, NIKMAT and NAFAS to ensure sufficient vegetable and fish stock in the market.
He said the committee will also provide allocation of RM3.5 million to 20 consumer organisations to conduct awareness programs such as education campaigns.
