Please, don\u2019t burden us further with a hike in toll rates, say the public and transport companies.<\/p>\n
Some members of the public said they already found it hard to cope with rising food costs and the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and could not afford another setback.<\/p>\n
Lorry and bus operators said an increase in toll rates would come on top of the high operating costs that they were already struggling with.<\/p>\n
A Cabinet meeting discussed the raising of toll charges this year \u2013 and by as much as 30%.<\/p>\n
The North-South Expressway (PLUS) will not be affected.<\/p>\n
The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association said now was not the time to increase toll charges.<\/p>\n
Its CEO Datuk Paul Selvaraj said Malaysians were already under a lot of pressure from other rising costs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also economic instability. Graduates are struggling to get jobs and there is a lot of unemployment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Selvaraj said the Government should look towards reducing toll, not increasing it.<\/p>\n
\u201cFocus on public transportation,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
National Consumer Complaints Centre director Datuk Marimuthu Nadason warned that any toll increase would have a chain reaction.<\/p>\n
He said the cost of goods and services would go up, with providers blaming the increased cost of transportation.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, the ringgit is weakening and people will suffer more if rates were to go up. The Government must do what\u2019s right for the people,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pan-Malaysia Lorry Owners\u2019 Asso\u00adciation president Jong Foh Jit said an increase would not only affect the transporters but all road users.<\/p>\n
He said the GST had already caused prices to increase.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven makan also more costly. Please, no more increases,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Express bus operators, in particular, would be badly affected by any hike in toll charges, said Pan Malaysian Bus Operators Associa\u00adtion president Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it happens, this is sure to affect us and eventually, our passengers,\u201d he said, adding that they were suffering due to high operating costs and low ticketing charges.<\/p>\n
A Universiti Sains Malaysia transportation expert said the Govern\u00adment might not be able to keep compensating the concessionaires.<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to their contracts, they are supposed to increase the toll every year because of inflation,\u201d said Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Sadullah.<\/p>\n
He said the Government had been trying to absorb the cost.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m wondering if it has become too much to bear,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Transport planner Goh Bok Yen said instead of paying compensation, the Government should buy over the highways -source; thestaronline<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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