Plus Malaysia Berhad has confirmed the Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll concessions was extended to 2038 but stressed that road users have only been paying half price.

The company told Malaysiakini its concession for the Federal Highway Route 2 which was supposed to expire in 2018 was given a 20-year extension in 2011 under a revised agreement, with a lower toll rate.

"In an effort to reduce the impact of toll increase on the public, toll rates on PLUS highways, including Batu Tiga, were restructured in 1999, 2002, and the latest being in 2011.

 

"If one were to use the original concession agreement, which states that concession would end in 2018, the toll rate of Batu Tiga today would be RM2.40 versus the current rate of RM1.10, a rate which has remained the same since 2005," it said.

Plus was responding to a report on April 16 in Selangorkini , a media owned by a Selangor government-linked company which publishes news of the state and its administration.

The article quoted Batu Tiga assemblyperson Rodziah Ismail ( right ) who said the federal government was indifferent to people's demand that the toll be scrapped, and instead, renewed the concession agreement for another 20 years.

'No extension beyond 2038'

The Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plazas are part of the North-South Expressway concession.

Plus said the 2011 revised concession agreement stated that there will be no further extension beyond 2038.

"There will be no extension to the concession period of all Plus' highways and that the concession will end simultaneously on Dec 31, 2038, as scheduled," said the company.

Plus added that since it took over the management and maintenance of the stretch between the two toll plazas, it had upgraded the road which was initially a two lane carriageway.

"Upon its takeover by Plus, the highway was later upgraded to a three-lane dual carriageway.

"Upgrading works of the RM410 million project was conducted back in 1992-1993 and the stretch was officially re-opened to public in 1993.

"Each year, PLUS invests on the maintenance of the Batu Tiga-Sungai Rasau stretch," it said.