KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM74.65 billion in revenue has been collected from 29 highways since they began operations until last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Works Minister Baru Bian said the construction costs of these 29 tolled highways had come up to RM35.14 billion.
“The overall (annual) expenditure and maintenance costs for the highways come up to RM2.5 billion,” he said in reply to a question by Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-Johor Bahru).
Baru (PH-Selangau) added that a total of RM5.109 billion in compensation had been paid out between 1990 and last year.
As to the end dates of concession periods, Baru said the concession periods for two highways would end in 10 years, 16 would end between 11 and 20 years, and 11 would end in more than 20 years.
To a further question by Akmal on whether the government could find ways to review lopsided concessionnaire agreements when there was still a long way to go before the period ended, Baru said the ministry had been given six months to negotiate with stakeholders and resolve the matter.
“They (the stakeholders) understand Pakatan Harapan’s direction. They are open (to tolls being reduced or abolished), and we will return to the Cabinet after six months with several proposals that we will accept in the negotiations.
“Where a review in the concession agreements is possible, we will do the needful,” he said. However, he did not elaborate on the proposals. - FMT
The government can build all these highways like they used to do with no tolls.
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