PH slammed for extending PLUS toll concession period

PETALING JAYA: The Pakatan Harapan government was slammed for extending the PLUS toll concession period till 2058 instead of abolishing it as promised under its manifesto.

“For the record, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad gave the initial concession to PLUS for 30 years from 1998 to 2018. Then in 1998, Tun extended the concession for 12 years until 2030.

“The latest is the Pakatan government led by Tun extending it for 20 years to 2058, ” MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said in a Facebook post yesterday.

He noted that former prime minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was forced to extend the concession period for eight years in 2005 to settle outstanding compensation left behind under Dr Mahathir’s legacy.

“It is simple mathematics, under Tun Dr Mahathir’s leadership, the total concession approved in stages is 30 + 12 + 8 + 20 = 70 (years).

“This is a record which can be entered into the ‘Malaysia Book of Records’, ” he said.

Dr Wee also questioned Pakatan’s promise of abolishing tolls.

“If unable to do it, don’t promise, ” he said.

He said that Pakatan had hoodwinked the people by initially promising to abolish tolls but instead proposed a “traffic congestion charge” after taking over the government.

“Now, the toll concession has been extended until 2058, ” he said.