Azmin summons PKNS and KPS to explain toll hikes

(The Sun Daily) – Selangor Mentri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali has called up the Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) and Kumpulan Perangsang Selangor (KPS) to explain the toll hikes in selected highways.

He explained on Twitter today that he will be calling the two state-owned companies, who are minority stakeholders in the Kesas and Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) highways, to brief the state Economic Action Council (MTES) today on the toll hikes.

“I have asked PKNS and Perangsang who both have minority interests in Kesas and LDP to attend MTES tomorrow,” the Bukit Antarabangsa assemblyman said.

“MTES will look into the response by PKNS and KPS. The state government’s policy is to clearly reject any toll hike that will burden the people,” he said.

The state government owns 30% of the Kesas highway through PKNS and 20% in SPRINT and the LDP through Kumpulan Perangsang.

It was reported that toll rates at 12 major highways in the Klang Valley are to increase between 10 sen and RM4.70 from today.

Meanwhile, Sacked Umno member Anina Saadudin criticised the government’s decision to increase the toll rates, saying that Putrajaya did not consider public interest in the matter.

She added that the government could have used revenue from the Goods and Services Tax to compensate the highway concessionaires.

The move to increase toll rates was widely panned by consumer groups, bus operators and road users following the announcement by the Works Ministry on Monday.