Sunday 25 November 2007

Government must take back highways

I am writing this in response to this article:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/11/26/nation/19575298&sec=nation

I think Datuk Shahrir Samad has made an intelligent suggestion. Taking over PLUS and other highway companies is currently the best solution to avoid further increase of the toll rates. According to Samy Vellu, the government have to pay RM380 million of compensation next year if they do not allow the highway companies to increase the toll rate.

The takeover suggestion should come from Samy Vellu and not Shahrir Samad. However Sammy Vellu seemed to be run out of fresh ideas and no longer competitive as a minister. His only ideas are either government agree to increase the toll rates to reduce the amount of subsidy or extend the contract with highway companies. If the government keep extending the contract, when it will be over? Sooner or later the toll rates will increase too. Extending the contract is only a short term solution. In long term, this is the worst solution. This is because the toll rates will increase and people have to pay for longer duration of time.

However, taking over highway companies is a solution. This approach may cost triple or quadruple than paying the compensation but in long term, the government can save a lot. People can save money too. In the future, people will pay tolls just to cover the maintenance cost of the highway.

Some of the highway companies like PLUS has operated for decades and I'm sure they have made huge amount of profits. The time has come for the government to step up, avoid them from making more benefits and transfer the benefits to the highway users. This is what we want from our government.

4 comments:

[danial][ma] said...

on the sad note, the government won't do that not even in a million year! because the government was elected by the people to rule the people and not to listen to the people who elected the government...sigh!

Pena Biru said...

government can do whatever they want, but they must remember that people observe what they did. If they are too ego to accept people views, make so many wrong decisions, people will become fed up and you can anticipate what gonna happen next.

lad said...

this is not about the article, just wanna say thanks to you my friend for inspiring us. Good luck to you.

[danial][ma] said...

hej! rahman...
wishing you a happiest eid-adha...may you have a great celebration and may this festive seasons bring you peace, a lot of love and joy! happy new year 2008 and may you have a great and blessed year ahead...happy holidays...