Johor DAP: Plus should foot EDL construction bill

Johor DAP has blasted the government’s announcement of the takeover of the EDL highway that includes paying the concessionaire for the construction costs.

“DAP Johor questions the recent annoucement by the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nor Mohamahad Yacop for the government to shoulder the cost to acquire the Eastern Dispersal Link Highway (EDL) from the Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB).

“DAP Johor holds the view that neither Johor commuters nor the tax payers in general  should  shoulder the construction cost of the  EDL.” said DAP Johor chairperson Boo Cheng Hau (left) in a statement today.

He said making the taxpayer’s to foot the cost of the 8.1km highway - that connects the end of the North-South Expressway Southern with the Sultan Iskandar Customs, Quarantine and Immigration Complex (CIQ) - is “asking the people to pay for a failed rental economy created by Umno-BN itself”.

Instead, said Boo, “Umno-linked” Plus Bhd should be the one to foot the costs, since it had been collecting from Johor Bahru toll plazas over the past 20 years.

“Plus Bhd, an Umno-linked company, was given the concession to collect tolls at Johor Bahru CIQ and Senai federal trunk roads, respectively, amidst protests from the Johoreans because virtually no work was done by Plus Bhd except for  installing toll plazas on the mentioned existing federal trunk roads.

Money for nothing?

“Based on the daily number of 60,000 vehicles using the causeway, Plus Bhd has collected between RM 876 mllion to RM 1.50 billion in the past 20 years,” said Boo.

The state opposition leader said Plus should therefore use the money earned to pay for the EDL as its construction should have been Plus’ responsibility in the first place.

“The amount collected by the Plus Bhd shuld have been meant for constructing a highway  between the Johor Bahru CIQ and North-South Highway entrance at Pandan.

“Nonetheless, no work and highway service has ever been provided (by Plus) for the past 20 years,” he said.

Boo called on the government to disclose the concessions contract with Plus Bhd to explain how the company can shirk its responsibility.

The EDL has been a sore point with Johoreans for the excessive toll that is imposed even for motorists who do not actually use the highway after passing through the CIQ.

Last Friday PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli, while lauding the government for finally deciding to take over the EDL, warned that the exercise could be used to smuggle the rakyat's money into the coffers of BN cronies.

Rafizi said PKR will move a parliamentary motion on the formation of a select committee to study all purchases of major assets from companies to ensure transparency and fairness.