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Yoursay: Freezing tolls ‘the best of whole load of bad solutions’

YOURSAY | ‘Gov’t should not have to compensate them for any drop in collection revenue.’

Gov't to freeze toll hike on 21 highways nationwide in 2019

Ex-Wfw: Would MACC be tasked to investigate the books of all the toll operators to check if the rates, as well as their increase, could be justified?

Most of the maintenance contracts had been given to in-house contractors, thus pulling the wool over the eyes of the Malaysian public.

This indeed applies to all public utilities which had been privatised or more aptly “piratised”.

Gaji Buta: What is the point? It is a zero-sum game. A reduction here will result in an increase somewhere else. How long can this subsidising go on?

The country is not going to improve economically in the foreseeable future or even generations, for reasons we all know. We are in a slow but sure spiral downwards.

Kevin: Toll rates increase, people make noise. Toll hike frozen, they also make noise.

Be patient. The country is already short of money despite having the Tabung Harapan – it’s definitely not enough to cover much loss but it’s better than nothing.

Just be thankful that for now, we don't have to pay more. I believe things would improve when the country is in better financial state.

Fookchin: If at all toll fees have to be collected to finance the maintenance and repair costs of the highways, the toll rates have to be revised downwards, not upwards every year.

And the government need not have to compensate the concessionaires for any resultant drop in the collection revenue.

INTERACTIVE: Do you know how much toll you’ll be paying?

Pahatian: Yes, now you are in the government, review the lopsided agreements with the concessionaires. They are reaping millions from the tolls with the increase in traffic each year.

I suggest the government start reducing the tolls progressively and eventually charging only a minimal amount to upkeep the highways, and abolish those tolls which are charging a few ringgit or less than a ringgit now.

That, I would say, would be a small step in reducing the burden of the rakyat and a big step in instilling the confidence of the rakyat in the new Pakatan Harapan government and a new Malaysia.

It is better to benefit a whole lot of the rakyat than the few in the highway concessionaires. Are you listening, finance and transport ministries?

Save Our Currency: Indeed, we cannot accept that the government is paying the toll operators compensation. The revenue collected far exceeds what they had hoped for.

Why were the toll hikes not linked to the revenue collected?

Quigonbond: This is the best of a whole load of bad solutions. What can we do? This is a long-term problem to fix.

At least, the heart is there to cut down tolled highways in the long run. That's anytime better than BN feeding their ‘kakis’ more highway concessions.

Bornean: So, since the government is compensating RM972.75 million to cease hike of tolls that are all located in the peninsula, how much has been allocated for Sabah and Sarawak?

Don't tell me you did not take into consideration these two states?

Anonymous: To all the commenters, please let the government do its best. Don't demand unrealistic moves.

All these issues are left over by the previous regime. If Harapan had not taken over, we will be worse off than now. Please be reasonable.

RM300 BSH hastened to Jan 28, but will benefit unqualified recipients too

Anonyxyz: There are thousands of rich senior citizens having fat bank accounts and properties. They declare no income with children not staying with them and have been enjoying BRIM (Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia) for years.

A simple check is for them to declare their total assets and an anonymous helpline to report such abuses.

YOM: Yes, please proceed to identify those who no longer qualify. Even if you are 25 percent successful, it will be good.

Those who are left out may well complain that others they know have escaped the scrutiny. That will help the government save further.

Ex-Wfw: Indeed, the nation needs a database for many issues and on paper, we have been spending billions of ringgit but we still cannot get proper, secured and accurate data.

The problem is every other agency or ministry wants to have its own data control, which I believe includes self-preservation issues.

We need a national database under the control of a unit that has nothing to process, except providing data to an inquiry which is justified.

Yes, the Industry 4.0 would be the basis for such national data platform where all decisions made by all government departments would be captured for reference.

Such a data platform will also remind all government officials that their decisions are captured for posterity reference, hence most of the illegal decisions and actions will be recorded.

Serembanpau: There are families with household income of less than RM2,000 with a family member requiring full-time care or special aids/necessities.

Such cases should be considered for additional monetary aid for them to get by.


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