Monday, March 30, 2009

Govt Bears RM286-mln Compensation For Postponing Toll Hike

BERNAMA, March 30, 2009 18:10 PM

KUALA LUMPUR, March 30 (Bernama) -- The government has to bear compensation payment of RM286.38 million to highway concessionaires for postponing by one year a scheduled increase of toll rates on five stretches of highway, the Dewan Negara was told Monday.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Yong Khoon Seng said the toll rates on the North-South Expressway (PLUS), Sistem Penyuraian Trafik Kuala Lumpur Barat (SPRINT) highway, Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (AKLEH), Sungai Besi (BESRAYA) highway and New Pantai Expressway (NPE) were retained until the end of this year.

"As a result of the postponement of the increase in the toll rates for a year, the government has to bear the compensation payment to the highway concessionaires, according to the terms of the concession agreements," he said when replying to a question from Senator Muhamad Yusof Husin.

The Cabinet had decided last month that the proposed increase in the toll rates on the five stretches of highway effective March 1 this year be postponed for a year.

Yong said the government would look at a long-term solution besides studying the finance model and implication when considering the issue of toll rate increases in the future.

Meanwhile, Human Resource Minister Datuk Dr S Subramaniam said the ministry had launched a study towards the setting up the Relief Fund For Loss of Employment to help retrenched workers deprived of retrenchment benefits.

"The proposed fund will benefit those workers who do not get compensation because their employers are unable to pay or cannot be traced," he said when replying to a question from Senator Prof Datuk Dr Ismail Md Salleh.

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