Tee Yong blames Anwar for awry highway concessions

In face of an impending toll rate hike, MCA vice-president Chua Tee Yong has accused PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim of being responsible for tying-down the government with lopsided highway concessions. 

He said while the opposition have blamed BN leaders of previous administrations for signing the agreements that favour the concessionaires, the bulk of it were signed during Anwar’s term as finance minister. 

“I have done some research. According to my sources, most of the concessions need to be approved by the Finance Ministry. 

“Most of the highway concessions - 10 to 12 of them - were approved between 1991 and 1998. During this time, who was our finance minister? Anwar. 

“Therefore the one who signed it and burdening us is not a BN leader. He is now the opposition leader. We should investigate whatever the opposition claims, because often what they claim is not accurate,” he said today. 

Chua (left), who was elected as vice-president yesterday, said this while addressing MCA central delegates in his winding-up speech at the MCA annual general assembly today. 

Anwar had been finance minister until his sacking in 1998, after which he later emerged as the leading opposition figure. 

Previously, Works Minister Fadillah Yusof was reported to have said that the toll on 15 national highways will increase from RM0.50 to RM2.00 beginning Jan 1, 2014, but the exact amount had yet to be decided.

He said the toll rates are supposed to be revised every three years, but this has not been done in six years. 

“The government has to fork out RM400 million in compensation if it does not allow the adjustment,” he was quoted as saying in Sin Chew Daily on Dec 17.