In a period of street clashes and tear gas, it seems that the HINDRAF rally has sucked all the editorial resources of malaysiakini and the like.
The Star has this most interesting article on how toll rates can be frozen or slowed down and I support this good idea.
It makes good economic sense for the Government to buy back all the tolled roads as that will remove the annual bargaining that is rather pitiful to hear when sums of
RM340 million a year compensation are mentioned.
It would make more sense for the EPF to buy out the highway operators instead of placing money in risky ventures abroad.
It kills 3 birds with one stone:
1.the end of the annual compensation story.
2.EPF can invest in a profitable business.
3.Malaysians can enjoy a good highway system with a reasonable toll.
Kudos to the PAC Chairman for this suggestion. Now if only they make the highway agreements public.
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5 comments:
yes, kudos to sharir samad. but come this election, i will still drive all the way down to jb and vote him out.
Why can't the UMNO Government re-negotiate with U.E. or the contractors of PLUS for a new agreement that will not suck the blood of the rakyat, as what is happening now? After all U.E. is owned by UMNO and her cronies.
Remember the former PM wanted to re-negotiate with Singapore on the rates of the water supplied to Singapore, even though an agreement has been signed and been in force for decades. And this is dealing with a foreign Government. And the Tun and UMNO are angry with the Singapore Government for not agreeing to a reduction of the rates of the sale of water to Singapore.
But, here, we are dealing with our internal contractor, not on an international level, and what's more UMNO need only deal or negotiate with its own company. And yet, UMNO would not even think of doing this. Yet, UMNO will curse and swear at Singapore for not agreeing to an increase of water rates!!!
hj angus,
Anything is possible if they want to do it. Since thay dont want to do it, it can never be done. Shahris is just trying to be popular with his voters but his chance of becoming and an incumbent in the next election still hangs in the the balance.
I think I did mention this alternative (could be on another blog) before as a means to save further escalation of toll rates.
Basically, this is reverse privatisation (or nationalisation) of the toll roads. Govt may be reluctant to do this as it means that privatisation of the highways has failed.
But on a practical note, if the EPF buys it out and maintains the rates (and the roads) for altruistic reasons, the rakyat will have a win-win situation with the EPF.
Of course, the cronies want a big pay out to let it go ....they won't have national interest at heart.
thanks for all your comments.
I think the Government will freeze the toll untill after the elections.
Not a good strategy to rile voters just before an election.
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