After toll rate hikes, Najib says highway deals inked 20 years ago
(Malay Mail Online) – The concession agreements that forced toll rate increases at nearly all Klang Valley highways this week were signed two decades ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak noted today.
The prime minister also stressed that if toll rates were not raised, the government would have to compensate the highway concessionaires, which would mean less funds for policies such as the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) cash handouts amid a global oil plunge that has affected Malaysia’s revenue.
“Of course I can say it’s not under my time, under my predecessor’s time. But I’m not like that. There’s the principle of common responsibility. I was part of the government then, but it was decided 20 years ago,” Najib said in a speech at Gerakan’s 44th National Delegates Conference here today.
“If you pay compensation, that’s less money for other things, less money for BR1M. Gerakan wants me to increase BR1M. So you have to decide. There’s always a trade off because of limited funds,” he added.
The prime minister pointed out that although Putrajaya received RM26 billion in dividends this year from Petronas, the state oil firm told him that it only could pay the government RM9 billion next year.
