Kuala Lumpur, Dec 19 – The Peninsular Malaysia Transport Workers Union (TWU) wants the government to reconsider its decision to raise the toll rate for highways and electricity tariff scheduled to be implemented simultaneously beginning next month.
TWU general secretary Tan Sri Zainal Rampak said the government could temporarily postpone the hike to enable discussions to be held again with the concession companies as the toll collection increased every year.
“The concession agreement between the government and the highway concession company represents a concurrence, thus on this factor, the government can renegotiate on the terms of agreement,” he said here Wednesday.
Zainal, who was also a former president of the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC), said the rise in toll rates and electricity tariff simultaneously was a shock to the low-income group because the new charges affected their daily expenses.
Yesterday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar said that the new toll was for newly constructed highway projects and their concession holders must carry out a research before deciding on the rates.
Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Azman Mohd said the new electricity tariff was part of the government’s subsidy rationalisation programme to strengthen the country’s fiscal position and it would be good for the country’s economy in the long run.
– Bernama
