The government has been urged to abolish toll collection for the entire stretch of the Federal Highway at the Batu Tiga and Sungai Rasau toll plazas as it is a burden to the residents in the area especially those from the lower-income group.

The matter was contained in a memorandum by Shah Alam Umno division chief Ahmad Nawawi M Zin which was handed to the Minister of Public Works Shaziman Mansor through his political secretary As'ari Ibrahim to be forwarded to the Prime Minister Najib Razak.

toll booth highway The memorandum was presented by 23 NGOs and leaders of BN component parties at the Annual Shah Alam Umno Division Delegates Meeting officiated by As'ari in Shah Alam today.

According to the memorandum, users of both sections of the highway, especially those from Shah Alam, have long been burdened with the RM1.10 toll at Batu Tiga toll plaza to Kuala Lumpur and RM1.00 at Sungai Rasau to Klang.

"Most of the highway users are Shah Alam residents working in Petaling Jaya or Kuala Lumpur where they have to pay RM2.10 for a return journey.

Paying toll for more than 20 years

As for residents travelling from Klang to Kuala Lumpur and back, they will have to pay toll twice beginning from Sungai Rasau and Batu Tiga totaling RM4.20.

The memorandum also requested the government to negotiate with the toll concession holder, Plus Expressway Berhad to revise the balance of the concession period to increase toll rates to streamline toll compensation.

This is because the two toll plazas have been collecting toll for more than 20 years and the residents were convinced that Plus Expressway Berhad has recouped its investment for upgrading the Federal Highway.

The memorandum was also in line with the proposals received from branches of the Shah Alam Umno division in conjunction with its 2011 annual general meeting.

- Bernama