REDUCE LOAN REPAYMENT, INCREASE TOLL CHARGES

This is something unexpected. In this trying time I was expecting everyone include both government and private sectors to contribute something to ease the rakyats burden. But I heard this morning was the opposite.

5 highways will be increasing their toll rates on the 1st of March 2009. These highways are PLUS, SPRINT, Ampang – KL Highway, NPE & BESRAYA.

The banks are doing something to the repayment period. This move will give more disposable income to the customers.

But unfortunately the highway operators are doing the opposite. There won’t be mush decrease in volumes on highways that will affect their revenues. I was hoping the highway operators to be much more charitable this time around. I thought they might consider waiving this year’s increase. Unfortunately, I’m wrong. Capitalist will forever be a capitalist.

Some highway operator might argue that they don’t have enough volumes to justify keeping old toll rates. I understand where their coming from. What about PLUS Highway? Don’t tell me PLUS doesn’t have enough volume to consider no toll increase? Come on, rakyats are not blind to gauge that PLUS is in fact making tones of money.

Recently the government sugar coated our wallet with the sudden closer of 2 toll plazas on NPE and BESRAYA Highways. I’m not sure about NPE, but the for sure BESRAYA is not getting cash compensation. But there’s something fishy behind all these closures. Like I said earlier, being a capitalist, toll operators are not going to give up a money making device like toll plazas without a fight. And later I was proven right.

BESRAYA was given the task to extend their highway and this will include a toll plaza. You see…

You demolish one and they’ll set up another later on. Their argument is to justify constructing the extension for BESRAYA Highway. That’s not the end of it. And today they got them a toll increase.

Why must we put up with all these nonsense? Why can’t the government buy over the highways? Maybe 2 or 3 highways if not all.

When times were good then or maybe later, the government should consider buying over PLUS, Penang Bridge, SPRINT and LITRAK. I’m not suggesting buying them all of them together.

Maybe they can start with PLUS. Once bought, the government should charge at a very minimum to cover cost and a little bit of profit or keep at existing amount. This will add another cash cow to the government’s coffer.

This action shows the government isn’t being sympathetic towards the rakyats. They’re more concern about the well being of the conglomerate. Yea… they can say that this is to ensure highway operators can stay afloat in this trying time. Come on, they can stay afloat now; it means they can stay afloat for a very long time.

The Opposition parties will use the issue of toll increase to the max come next by-election. This gives much reason for the rakyat to hate the government more.

When banks are doing something to help increase the rakyat’s disposable income, the toll operators are taking that away! At the end of the day, we’re back to square one.