The Ministry of Works should announce the toll rates for the Second Penang Bridge to stop all queries. At the last Parliamentary session, I, as the Member of Parliament for Bayan Baru, asked the Ministry of Works “have the toll rates for the Second Penang Bridge been decided. If yes, what are the rates?”
However, the Works Minister refused to answer frankly and merely answered that “the toll rates will be announced by the government as soon as the project is fully completed”.
Since the project began, answers in relation to the toll rates for the Second Penang Bridge have been conflicting. The Prime Minister once announced that the toll rate for a passenger car is RM9.40. Then, there were authorities who announced that the toll rate would be RM8.50. On March 10, 2012, it was reported that the toll rate will be maintained at RM7 and the concession period was extended to 2038. All of these answers cause confusion. In addition to the refusal of the Minister to provide transparent answers, I fear that the toll rates for the bridge might actually be higher than the rates stated. This would altogether cause heavy burdens to all users of the bridge.
Another related question is; what about the toll rates for the First Penang Bridge? According to previous statements from the government, the toll rate for both the bridges will be the same. Would the toll rates for the first bridge be increased if the toll rates for the second bridge are set at a higher rate?
The First and Second Penang Bridges are located under the Bayan Baru Parliamentary constituency and many residents, businesses and also industrial managements from the Bayan Baru area are wondering about the toll rates. For a commoner, they need to know the toll rates for the Second Bridge to perform their family expenses planning. For businesses and industries that form the pulse of Bayan Baru, they need to know the toll rates for budget planning in their logistics department. For these reasons, I wish to insist for the federal government to announce the toll rates immediately.
As of June 30, 2013, the physical progress of the Penang Second Bridge construction project is 96% completed. Based on the concession agreement, the project, with an estimated cost of RM4.5 billion is expected to be fully completed in November 2013, and will be open to traffic no later than the end of this year.
However, the Second Bridge experienced an accidental collapse at the exit ramp recently on June 6, 2013. The Stop-Work Order has been issued and the Ministry of Works should tell the public whether the second bridge will be completed on schedule and when is the new completion date. For now, the people of Penang are in the dark on all developments of the Second Bridge. They do not know the completion date, they do not know when it will be open, they do not know what the toll rates are, they do not know why the exit ramp collapsed, they do not know whether it is safe to use the bridge. When in fact, they are potential users who are entitled to know the latest developments. I would like to urge the Works Minister to provide the latest information to all.
In the question submitted at the House of Representatives, I also asked about the project’s return of capital. The Ministry replied “The time taken for the project’s return of capital is subject to the number of vehicles and the toll rates which will be imposed throughout the concession period.”
Sim Tze Tzin
Member of Parliament for Bayan Baru
