Senai assemblyperson Wong Shu Qi has urged the government and the Malaysian Resources Corporation Bhd (MRCB) to clarify its rationale for a toll hike at the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL).
Based on recent statements from group chief operating officer Imram Salim, she said it was as if the highway concessionaire was collecting taxes from Malaysian migrant workers in Singapore.
“(The) BN government must clarify if this is the logic behind collecting EDL toll charge and MRCB must explain, is the highway concessionaire ‘collecting tax’ from Malaysian migrant workers in Singapore on behalf of the BN government under the current context?” she said.
Wong (right) was referring to aSinchew Daily report yesterday where it quoted Imram justifying that the toll charges would not affect most Johor residents.
“The people working in Singapore do not pay taxes and have an advantage in exchange rate, so that is tantamount to using the highway for free.
“Therefore I believe it is appropriate to collect toll at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex (because) it won’t affect the common Johor folk,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the Johor government had also asked that no toll charges should be imposed on most Johor drivers so that they would use the EDL and reduce traffic congestion in the state.
The toll is charged at the CIQ, which is in between the start of the EDL and the Johor Causeway to Singapore.
On a related matter, Wong urged the government to disclose the highway’s concession agreement because different officials have given different figures for the cost of taking over the highway.
The figure given by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Wahid Omar last week was RM1.7 billion to acquire the highway, she said, while Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general Ismail Salleh gave a figure of RM2.13 billion yesterday.
“Malaysians are entitled to know which one is the real number and what is the agreement between MRCB and BN government written in the contract,” she said.
The high acquisition cost was previously cited as the reason that the government’s plan to take over the highway and make it toll-free was unsuccessful, despite earlier promises.
Based on recent statements from group chief operating officer Imram Salim, she said it was as if the highway concessionaire was collecting taxes from Malaysian migrant workers in Singapore.
“(The) BN government must clarify if this is the logic behind collecting EDL toll charge and MRCB must explain, is the highway concessionaire ‘collecting tax’ from Malaysian migrant workers in Singapore on behalf of the BN government under the current context?” she said.
Wong (right) was referring to aSinchew Daily report yesterday where it quoted Imram justifying that the toll charges would not affect most Johor residents.“The people working in Singapore do not pay taxes and have an advantage in exchange rate, so that is tantamount to using the highway for free.
“Therefore I believe it is appropriate to collect toll at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex (because) it won’t affect the common Johor folk,” he was quoted as saying.
He added that the Johor government had also asked that no toll charges should be imposed on most Johor drivers so that they would use the EDL and reduce traffic congestion in the state.
The toll is charged at the CIQ, which is in between the start of the EDL and the Johor Causeway to Singapore.
On a related matter, Wong urged the government to disclose the highway’s concession agreement because different officials have given different figures for the cost of taking over the highway.
The figure given by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Wahid Omar last week was RM1.7 billion to acquire the highway, she said, while Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) director-general Ismail Salleh gave a figure of RM2.13 billion yesterday.
“Malaysians are entitled to know which one is the real number and what is the agreement between MRCB and BN government written in the contract,” she said.
The high acquisition cost was previously cited as the reason that the government’s plan to take over the highway and make it toll-free was unsuccessful, despite earlier promises.
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