The government has done it again and we will have to brace ourselves for a toll hike in the Klang Valley and highways around the federal capital and Selangor come January next year. It is going to become an expensive affair to just drive and with the increase in tolls, we are sure to see increases in every other daily necessity.

The argument that the government will be losing millions in terms of compensation to the toll concessionaires is what that the rakyat will be fed with when the increase becomes a reality in a couple of weeks time. The concessionaires will be the beneficiaries in this exercise because only God knows what is in the agreement between them and the government.

The government seems to be pushing and testing the people's patience to the very limit. It seems to think that the people will accept the same reasoning again and again.

Being a frequent user of the North-South Highway, I am appalled at the condition of the highway at certain stretches for example in Perak and Kedah. The highway becomes an invisible black and grey road when it rains. The road lines and markers have not been repainted for years and there is some very road patch works along certain stretches.

Drainage and water pools in certain spots (in Perak, Kedah and Johor) are the main reasons for road fatalities. Night driving, which used to be a breeze in the early days when the highway was new, is now becoming a hazard. Highway users have to put up with the lackadaisical attitude of the highway operators because the government ensures that the other alternative roads are inconvenient.

It will only be a matter of time before the toll fares are hiked again next year as highways are cash cows for their respective operators. What will the reaction of the people be at that time? Just accept the fact and keep quiet or make the government pay in the next general elections? This will be something that we will all have to wait and see.

The coming elections will be quite interesting if the Malaysian populace doesn't fall for last minute pleas by BN.