The government should penalise toll concessionaires for failing to tackle traffic jams on their highways, instead of targeting commuters who use the emergency lane, said PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

He said that while the party agreed such lanes should only be used for emergencies, the real problem rested with the firms for not alleviating traffic congestion.

"This year, the focus of our highway problems is on abuse of the emergency lane.

"Alas, even the prime minister himself made a statement on his Facebook on the issue," Tuan Ibrahim said in a statement today.

He said that fining those who used emergency lanes would not solve the problem.

"We wish to remind the authorities that they shouldn't just know how to fine road users without looking at the root cause of highway jams, that force users to resort to the emergency lanes during the festive season and holidays," he said.

"Instead, fine the toll concessionaires who fail to tackle traffic jams."

Companies which fail to solve the problem, he said, should have their concessions suspended.

Road users victims

He lamented the perennial problem of festive season jams as something repeatedly borne by road users, who waste their time and fuel stuck in traffic jams.

"Up till today, the sacrifice and patience of road users have never been valued.

"Instead, they are rewarded with all kinds of speed traps and summonses, whose aim is more towards penalising and fining, adding to the users' costs, instead of saving their lives," he added.

This, he said, was in addition to repeated toll hikes.

In particular, Tuan Ibrahim pointed to the Bentong and Gombak toll plazas, which he said had been in operation "too long" and ought to be shut down as they had exceeded their time.