RAUB: The state government has shot down a suggestion by an opposition lawmaker to tear down the Gombak and Karak toll plazas to ease traffic congestion on the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (KLK) and the East Coast Expressway (LPT).
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi today said that abolishing the tolls would cause the government to incur more expenses to maintain the roads and carry out maintenance.
"At the moment, we (government) have no plans to abolish the tolls. We need the funds (tolls) for highway maintenance and to ensure the safety of road users.
"If the tolls are abolished, the government will have to secure funds to maintain the highway and plan maintenance works. A lack of funds will jeopardise it (maintaining the highways)."
He said this at the section 5A: Raub bypass on the Central Spine Road here.
He had earlier officiated the stretch with Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
On March 4, Pas deputy president Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who is Kubang Kerian member of parliament, urged the government to abolish the Gombak and Karak toll plazas as they resulted in traffic crawls.
The Cheka (Pahang) assemblyman told the Dewan Rakyat that motorists had to pass four toll plazas — in Gombak, Karak and Bentong as well as their exit points — when only two (entry and exit) points should be used.
Meanwhile, Nanta said there had been no discussions about introducing the open-payment toll collection system on the KLK
"Open payment has not been discussed. Open payment on the KLK needs to be studied, and if there is a need, it has to be fine-tuned.
He said this when asked about introducing open payment on the KLK to ease traffic during weekends and public holidays.
Open payment is implemented on 11 highways, allowing road users to pay their toll fares by using debit and credit cards, apart from Touch 'n Go and Smart Tag.
On another matter, Nanta said he would meet highway concessionaires to "advise" them not to carry out maintenance works during peak and festive seasons.
"Last year, before the (Hari Raya) Aidilfitri celebration, I went to the Gombak toll plaza and issued instructions.
"Concessionaire companies must not carry out works that require lanes to be closed during peak and festive seasons.
"Doing maintenance works during heavy traffic only causes congestion, but if work has to be carried out, it can be done at another time."
Wan Rosdy, in his speech earlier, had said the maintenance works on the KLK during peak seasons had resulted in major traffic, resulting in motorists spending hours on the road.