The editors of all newspapers and television stations have been told not to play up the impending increase in toll hike on five highways, at a hush-hush briefing chaired by deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak yesterday.

Najib ( left ) - along with Works Minister S Samy Vellu, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Effendi Norwawi and Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin - met with the editors at Parliament house at 3.45pm to discuss the increase in charges.

"They are afraid the issue would create another round of public fury," a source told malaysiakini after the 90-minute meeting, of which even reporters covering Parliament were not aware.

The cabinet today discussed and finalised the new toll rates at its weekly Wednesday meeting before making an announcement tomorrow.

Hike from 10% to 60%

According to sources, the toll charges along the five highways are expected to increase by at least 10 percent.

The highest hike is said to be a whooping 50 percent for the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP).

The other affected highways are Guthrie Corridor Expressway, Kesas-Shah Alam Highway, Karak Highway and Grand Saga Cheras-Kajang Highway.

Reuters has quoted a source as saying that the toll hikes will go up by as much as 60 percent.

"The new rates take effect on Jan 1. That's our New Year present," said the source who attended an official briefing on the matter.

The news agency also quoted an unnamed spokesperson for the works minister confirming that an announcement would be made at a news conference at 3.15 pm tomorrow.

Government has no choice

Meanwhile, Deputy Domestic Trade and Consumers Minister S Veerasingam said the government had no choice but to increase the toll rates.

"The government is already providing a lot of subsidies to the people. If we do not increase, we (the government) will have to pay the concessionaires of the highways," he said.

"The cabinet has approved the hike," he added.

Consumer and industry leaders were quick to criticise the hike, saying it was unjustified following a steep petrol price hike in February and electricity rate hikes in June.

"Of course, we are concerned about the hike. It will hurt the man in the street. Many use their own motor vehicles. It will surely fuel inflation," Mohamad Yusof Abdul Rahman, director of communications with the Federation of Consumers Associations told AFP .

One of the major complaints is that the various deals the government inked with the highway operators are not reveal to the public.

Protests against price hikes

The repercussions of the price hikes in recent months were felt in the lost of eight ruling Barisan Nasional seats in the Sarawak election in May, six of which to the opposition DAP alone.

Several demonstrations were also held in Kuala Lumpur, some were dispersed with violence by the riot police.

Last week, the prime minister had urged news organisation not to play up "sensitive issues" that would result in creating friction between communities.

Such advisories are not uncommon in Malaysia where stringent anti-press laws are enforced alongside informal political and administrative gag orders on the media.

The latest round of toll hikes will however not apply to the country's biggest toll-road operator, Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (Plus), which had only recently increase its rates.