No decision yet on extending PLUS concession period to 2058, says Deputy Works Minister

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision to extend PLUS’s toll concession period until 2058 has yet to be made, the Parliament was told Monday (Nov 23).

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Eddin Syazlee said that a lot of “sensitive” matters are still being considered, including price, concession period, the government and rakyat's debt, as well as the total responsibility of the concession.

“So, for PLUS, among the matters being considered and being looked into are the revenue projection terms between the company and the government.

“For this agreement with PLUS, it is still under discussion and has yet to be decided as of today, @ he said in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid (BN-Padang Terap) during Question Time.

Mahdzir had asked the ministry about the status of discussions with PLUS on whether to extend its concession period until 2058 as agreed under the Pakatan Harapan government.

Under the previous administration, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said that PLUS would be given a 20-year extension of the toll concession.

PLUS is the largest highway concessionaire in Malaysia.

To the initial question, Eddin said the government was still studying and reviewing all options to acquire highway concessionaires in order to reduce its financial burden and to balance it with the needs of users.

He said the financial burden on the government relating to all the options was currently being looked into, taking into consideration the impact on the economy, investor confidence within and outside of the country, as well as the government's financial capabilities as a whole.

Mahdzir asked the government whether it has any intention of renegotiating with concessionaires in order to take over highways in the country since the Pakatan government had estimated that the cost of such an exercise would be about RM29bil.

Meanwhile, Eddin said that the Cabinet memorandum on the future direction of toll roads in the country between the Works Ministry, Finance Ministry, and public-private partnerships under the Prime Minister's Office, is expected to be tabled to the Cabinet for consideration and approval mid-December.