Ministries holding discussions over management of highways

KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry is assessing proposals from some highway concessionaires on a possible restructuring of intra-city highways without burdening the users.

Senior Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said it was discussing with the Finance Ministry on managing the country’s existing and new highways.

Once finalised, the proposals would be submitted to the Cabinet for approval, said Fadillah at a media session yesterday.

“PLUS Malaysia Bhd is under the Finance Ministry. The Works Ministry looks after other highways, especially intra-city highways,” said Fadillah when asked about the toll restructuring proposal involving PLUS Malaysia.

He added that the ministry had received proposals from some highway concession companies on “similar concept but better proposals than PLUS”.

Fadillah said the proposals came from, among others, Gamuda Bhd and Projek Lintasan

Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas).

Gamuda has either majority or significant stakes in four intracity expressways, namely LDP (Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong), Kesas (Shah Alam Expressway), Sprint and Smart.

Prolintas, which is owned by Permodalan Nasional Bhd, owns and operates several highways such as the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, Guthrie Corridor Expressway and the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated

Highway.

Fadillah said taking over highways and terminating toll rates would pose a financial burden on the government and the Public Works Department particularly as it was responsible for maintaining federal roads.

One possible solution is to offer intra-city highway concessionaires a fixed rate and an extension to the concession period in return for not raising toll rates as stipulated in the concession agreements.

Fadillah also provided an update on major road and highway projects such as the 306.4km Central Spine Road (CSR) and Pan-Borneo Highway.

The RM7.5 billion CSR, which links Bentong in Pahang to Kuala Krai in Kelantan, has seen 66.53km completed, with 106.77km under construction.

For the RM27 billion Pan-Borneo Highway, Fadillah said 62 per cent of works in Sarawak had been completed while for Sabah, it was 49 per cent.