Thursday, February 26, 2009

Toll Increase.......Again!

Updated 28/02/09 : It seems after yesterday's encouraging remark from PM Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to get cabinet to review the toll hikes, the toll hikes have been postponed till end of 2009 but as informed by Anil, this might not be a good thing as it is just a delayed catastrophe, read more on Anil blog.
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Original posting : One would get all frustrated and grumbling when they hear this news over the radio and TV, I was one of them and I bet many more Malaysians will re-act the same. I would thought, with the current economic downturn and so many people losted their jobs and many more will be losing their jobs, the government will try to avoid anymore hikes in our common people daily lives, but not the Malaysian government aka BN, as explained by Datuk Ir Mohamad Zin Mohamad who is the Works Minister that this is a small increase and people should not complain because we are getting first class roads and conveniences. Here are the price increase as given by Malaysiakini :
"Kadar kenaikan tol terbabit adalah seperti berikut:

bullet button Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (Plus): Kadar kenaikan tol untuk sistem kutipan tol tertutup Plus dinaikkan 0.68 sen sekilometer bagi kereta. Bagaimanapun, kenaikan ini tidak membabitkan tol di Plaza Tol Bukit Kayu Hitam, Tambak Johor dan Bangunan Sultan Iskandar.

bullet buttonLebuhraya Sistem Penyuraian Trafik KL Barat (Sprint). Plaza tol Pantai: naik 50 sen dari RM1.50 kepada RM2 (naik 33) dan Plaza tol Damansara: naik 30 sen dari RM1 kepada RM1.30 (naik 30%).

bullet buttonLebuhraya Bertingkat Ampang-Kuala Lumpur (Akleh)(Lebuhraya E12): Kadar tol dinaikkan sebanyak 50 sen bagi kereta - dari RM1.50 hingga RM2 (naik 33%).

bullet button Kadar tol Lebuhraya Sungai Besi (Besraya): Kadar tol dinaikkan sebanyak 10 sen bagi kereta - dari RM1.30 kepada RM1.40 (naik 7.7%). Bayaran hanya dibuat di Plaza Tol Mines kerana Tol Salak Selatan Jaya telah ditutup mulai semalam.

bullet buttonLebuhraya Baru Pantai (NPE): Kadar tol dinaikkan sebanyak 40 sen bagi kereta - dari RM1.60 kepada RM2 (naik 25%). "

The increase range from RM0.10 to RM0.50, with 5% increase for using the North-South Expressway and our Works Minister says it is a small and negligible increase. He seem to forget that all of us does not just pass thru one of these tolls only, most of us will be crossing from one toll to another and if one way to work increases by RM1, we will be paying additional RM2 to go to work. If we use a 25 working day, this translate to another additional RM50/month. If our incomes are able to increase, then I think most of us will not feel the pinch but most companies are cutting back on staff and also salaries, so how to cope Mr.Minister! Think lah! What I cannot tahan is the Minister make it sound as if we getting the long end of the stick, but in truth, the people are getting the short end of the stick. Mr.Minister, if you really want to benefit the rakyat, resolves the jam along these highways during peak hours first! If you can do that, at least the rakyat knows they are paying higher tolls to avoid jams! Instead, we are paying higher tolls to get into jams after jams!

I just found out that apparently, the government is paying Putrajaya Holdings about RM6Mil(there about lah) per year for rental and maintenance of PM's residence in Putrajaya! Don't you think that is a little to excessive and don't you think with the money saved from these rental, it can help the "rakyat" cover these tolls hikes?

Countries all over the world are trying their best to help their citizens, but only in Malaysia, they suck you dry when you are down! Malaysia Boleh!

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