Zeti: Decision on tolls expected ‘very quickly’

The former Bank Negara governor says Daim Zainuddin will make an announcement on matter.

Former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz says stakeholders involved in highway tolls will get back to the council next week.

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz today assured the people that a decision on highway tolls would be made “very quickly”.

Speaking to reporters after a meeting between the Council of Elders and highway operator stakeholders, Zeti said former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, who heads the council, would be the one to make an announcement on the issue.

When asked if the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government’s plan to remove tolls was feasible, Zeti said it was still a “work in progress”.

“I don’t know all the numbers, all the details,” she added.

When asked for a timeline for a decision to be made, however, Zeti replied: “Very quickly”.

“The stakeholders are supposed to get back to the council next week. The work is very intense.

“We are committed to finding the best solution in the interest of Malaysians. Everyone is looking forward to things being so much better, and we hope to make it happen.”

Earlier, Employees Provident Fund (EPF) CEO Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said a holistic solution was needed for the issue of tolled highways, while Khazanah Nasional managing director Azman Mokhtar said the meeting was about tabling the facts and issues, and seeing how to address the issue of tolls as promised by the new government.

It is understood that representatives from PLUS Highway and UEM Group Bhd were also at the meeting.

Earlier today, it was reported that the PH government might turn its attention to abolishing tolls, following its announcement yesterday that the goods and services tax would be zero-rated from June 1 and replaced with the sales and services tax.

Zeti and Daim are part of the Council of Elders, set up by Mahathir as an interim advisory body to the government.

Its other members are former president and CEO of Petronas Hassan Merican, billionaire Robert Kuok and prominent economist Jomo Kwame Sundaram. -FMT