Toll collected 2x cost of highway construction

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 16): Double the cost of the construction of highways has been collected, since operations to collect tolls began, said Works Minister Baru Bian.

In a report by The Star, Baru Bian is quoted as saying that 29 tolled highways are still on concessions.

“The total amount of construction cost for 29 highways is RM35.14bil. The amount of compensation paid (to concessionaires) from 1990 to 2017 is RM5.109bil and the total amount of toll collected since they started operation to 2017 is RM74.654bil,” he said, responding to a question by Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir (PH-Johor Baru) during Question Time.

The average of the total operation and maintenance cost for the highways amounts to RM2.5bil a year, while routine maintenance cost RM402mil annually, while periodic maintenance and upgrades costs about RM459mil a year. 

Baru was quoted a saying that two concessions will end in 2028, 16 concessions will be ending between 11 and 20 years, and there are 11 highways where tolls would be collected for two decades. 

He said that his ministry had been given six months to negotiate with stakeholders and concessionaires in light of Pakatan Harapan's GE14 manifesto to abolish tolls.

“We will submit proposals based on the ongoing negotiations.”