Highway concessionaire Litrak is raking in millions of ringgit in profit and as such there is no need for it to seek a rise in the toll rate, charged opposition party DAP today.

Litrak - which operates the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) highway - will be the biggest beneficiary of the Jan 1 toll hike with an increase of 60 sen under the new rates.

The company's 2006 annual report revealed that it recorded a nett profit of RM80 million, an increase of 43 percent from its nett profit at RM56 million in year 2005.

The report further showed that Litrak had set a new record after collecting RM243 million revenue for its financial year ending on March 31, 2006, as opposed to RM227 million it collected for the year before.

By disclosing these figures today, DAP Selangor chief Ong Chee Keng urged Litrak to reconsider its drastic toll hike from RM1.00 to RM1.60 which will be implemented from next Monday.

"They are making profit, not losses," he told reporters after leading a nine-member delegation comprising DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) leaders submitting a memorandum to the Litrak headquarters at Petaling Jaya this morning.

The LDP, which was completed in December 1999, has four toll plazas. It is also receiving compensation from the government to keep the toll rates down.

Put off the new rate

Ong urged Litrak to put off the introduction of the new toll rate pending the world oil price to become stable so that it would not have an adverse effect on the road users.

He also demanded that concessionaire reduce traffic congestions at the toll plazas along the LDP highway during peak hours.

The opposition party also urged the authorities to build alternative roads before the toll plazas or allowing U-turn before these toll plazas along the LDP highway.

"Since 10 years ago, the government has stopped building any new highway without toll but on the other hand, we still have to pay the road tax," noted Ong.

The one-page memorandum was received by Litrak communications manager Zuhri Iskandar Kamarzaman.

Earlier, the ruling MCA also held a brief protest against the toll hikes at the same venue.

The opposition, trade unions and non-governmental organisations are scheduled to hold a mass protest along the LDP on Jan 7 should the government fail to review its decision.

On Dec 14, the government announced that the toll rates for five major highways in the Klang Valley will rise between 20 to 60 percent effective Jan 1.

The five are: LDP, Shah Alam Highway, Cheras-Kajang Highway, Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway and the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.