'Toll removal to counter Dr M and Muhyiddin's influence'

Putrajaya's decision to remove toll booths in Selangor, Johor and Kedah may be linked to the fact that the latter two are important states to the top Bersatu leadership, said Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.

"They are closing (a) tollbooth in Johor because Johoreans are backing (Bersatu president) Muhyidin (Yassin).

"Kedahans are supporting (Bersatu chairperson) Dr Mahathir (Mohamad)," Azmin told reporters after a function in Shah Alam today.

Mahathir, who was prime minister for 22 years, is a Kedah native, while Muhyiddin was once the menteri besar for Johor.

Both were former Umno leaders who are now working on dethroning the party through Bersatu and Pakatan Harapan.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's Budget 2018 speech promised the removal of two toll booths along the Federal Highway, making it free, from Jan 1 onwards.

He also announced that the Plus Highway's Bukit Kayu Hitam toll booth and MRCB's Eastern Dispersal Link toll booth would be removed as well.

According to The Star Online, MRCB has been trying to sell off its loss-making highway for over a year.

Meanwhile, Azmin said Najib had "no choice" but to yield to public pressure over the removal of the two toll booths along the Federal Highway.

"We have been fighting for so long in asking that the federal government abolishes long-drawn concession agreements.

"Even then, these concessions are ending soon. So don't lie to the rakyat as though this is an initiative to show that he is thinking about the rakyat's problems," he said.

Toll collection for Federal Highway was supposed to end next year, but Putrajaya extended the concession agreement to 2038 in 2015.

Azmin said Pakatan Harapan's position was to rid the country of all tolled roads.

He conceded that the Selangor government is a minority shareholder for all toll operators in the state and that their ability to influence decisions is limited.

"We use our role in the board of directors' meetings to ensure that these concessionaires don't reap too much profit and ensure that the toll collection is returned to the rakyat.

"But we are minority (shareholders), who would listen to us?" asked Azmin.- Mkini