So it has arrived, yet again. Amidst the current ‘bad economy’, the same year the Goods and Services Tax (GST) was implemented, the controversial political climate, now comes the dreaded toll rate increase issue to further burden the public and road users.

With the recent toll hike, most highway users will be paying up to 80 percent more per trip using the highways that are circling and going across the Klang Valley and Selangor. Every increment is undoubtedly marked by the Rakyat crying foul, and as we all noticed, quickly reacting to this, is also our current ruling State government in Selangor - blaming Putrajaya for the toll increase.

Okay - so looking at all the affected highways with the toll increase, it is easy to play the blame game because looking back, Pakatan Rakyat had no say nor were they even privy to any of those concession agreements being inked years back. It is as one could say - history. We cannot turn back the clock. We can criticise and we can blame, but we cannot change what was inked in those concession agreements.

How about looking forward then? Currently, we have at least three controversial proposed highways that require the Selangor Government’s approval to proceed - the Damansara Shah Alam Highway (Dash), the Sungai Besi-Ulu Klang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) and the East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE).

All three highways have been met with strong objections from various parties for reasons which include - bad alignment planning, dangerous threat to homes, forest reserves and the environment and bulldozing through already highly dense townships which sees no need for such monstrous elevated highways.

In addition to this, was the promise the Menteri Besar of Selangor Azmin Ali has made to his people when he took over from his predecessor that he will review all the proposed highways going through Selangor and ensuring they meet with the following three conditions prior to the state’s approval:

1. The concessionaire, must provide a traffic impact and other relevant studies demonstrating substantial benefit for commuters in terms of reducing traffic congestion and travel time.

2. There must be full transparency on the rate of return of the highway including the toll rates to be charged. This is to ensure that there will be no astronomical profits for the concessionaire and unfair burden on the users.

3. In line with the transparency and accountability practice of the Selangor state government, MB Azmin Ali also demanded that the concession agreement must be fully disclosed to the public, not just the menteri besar and the state legal advisers.

The failure to meet these conditions is the very reason Kidex failed to obtain the state government’s approval and was subsequently cancelled, amidst strong objections from the affected residents.

Yet, after the cancellation of Kidex - these three conditions seems to have conveniently be swept aside and forgotten for the rest of the proposed highways. Why?

The Dash highway for one, despite having outdated and non-thorough traffic impact studies, showed little or no benefit whatsoever to the Damansara segment users who are already well-connected to other highways and have the soon-to-be MRT and LRT nearby. In addition to that, condition 2 and 3 have not been met at all.

65-year concession period

With a 65-year concession period - which seems by far the longest concession period for the present tolled highways in the State, Dash could very well fall in the same conundrum as all the current highways once constructed - be it from toll hikes to government compensations.

As a member of the Selangor rakyat, a salaried worker with a single home bought with my hard-earned money - to which I know I am not alone, I am urging the state government to protect its people.

Protect us from supposed ill-planned highways that promised connectivity but yet bring threats to our homes and environment, protect us from supposed badly-designed highways that promises to ease congestion but ends up with ridiculous bottlenecks in densely developed townships like Damansara Perdana and now, protect us from these unscrupulous toll increases we are subjected to at the whims and fancies of the concessionaires.

As the rakyat, we have no say in inking these concession agreements - but you, as our government do. Be transparent to us, be accountable to us. These concession agreements hiding behind the Official Secrets Act (OSA) obviously have hidden secrets which include compensation and toll rate clauses which the public is not privy to but you as our ruling state government can have the power to make this transparent to us.

We are all for development, but good planning is badly needed. RM4.18 billion for a highway can surely garner better and sustainable planning for a good road network or even public transportation than what it currently is proposing.

The rakyat depends on your decisions for the future. Your decision affects us. Do not fail us.

LEONA LOPEZ is a resident of Damansara Perdana.