PLUS: Federal Highway concession period only ends in 2038

PETALING JAYA: PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) has clarified that the concession period for the Federal Highway is only supposed to end in 2038.

The highway operator, in a statement on Saturday, said that the 2011 revised Concession Agreement stated that collection at both toll plazas was only scheduled to end on Dec 31, 2038.

As such, the abolishment of toll collection at the Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau plazas in Selangor comes 20 years early.

The clarification from PLUS comes after rumours on social media that the concession period was going to end in 2018.

"There have been several enquiries on the compensation for PLUS with the abolishment of toll collection at the three locations – Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau in Selangor and Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah.

"The 2011 Concession Agreement, which was restructured following the privatisation of PLUS in the same year, saw toll collection being harmonised on all toll plazas under PLUS and this includes Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau.

"In addition, no toll increase was implemented by the Government and/or PLUS on all its highways since 2005.

"As discussions are ongoing, we will make the necessary announcement upon receipt of further details from the Government," it said.

During the tabling of Budget 2018 on Friday (Oct 27), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced that toll collection at Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau in Selangor; Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah and Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) in Johor would be abolished effective Jan 1, 2018.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Johari Abdul Ghani was reported as saying on Friday that the Government may extend the concession tenure instead of offering cash compensation.