Desi was rushing a deadline for official work when he took a break at taiko jeffooi's -- and what an early nu'e year present the government has given us. The news was broken by a foreign wire service, but I trust it would be confirmed soon enough.
So citizens of NegaraKu, your Government has become "more caring", indeed.
From TheEdgeDaily.Com Dec 13, 2006
Road tolls to rise by up to 60% - source
By Jalil Hamid
The government will announce on Dec 14 a sharp rise in road toll rates to help trim state subsidies, a source said on Dec 13, in a move that could spark a public outcry and raise inflation.
Tolls will go up by as much as 60% and will affect users of five highways in and around the capital, Kuala Lumpur, said the source, who attended an official briefing on the matter.
"The new rates take effect on Jan 1," the source, who declined to be identified, told Reuters . "That's our New Year present."
A spokesman for the Works Minister confirmed that an announcement would be made at a news conference at 3.15pm on Dec 14. He declined to give details.
Under toll concession agreements that critics say favour operators, the government has to reimburse operators if traffic volumes and revenues fall short of pre-agreed projections.
Most of the highways were approved in the 1990s by the administration of then Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, which made privatisation and mega-projects one of its hallmarks.
Works Minister Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu said recently the government would have to fork out RM2 billion in compensation to five highway operators if toll rates were not revised.
The operators include listed firms Gamuda Bhd and Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Bhd (Litrak).
Litrak operates the 40km Damansara-Puchong highway, where the toll is to rise 60%, to RM1.60 from RM1, the source said.
"The real toll is RM2.10, so the government is still subsidising 50 sen for each user," the source said.
Residents along the densely populated stretch had protested strongly against an initial proposal to levy a toll of RM1.50, forcing the government to fix it at RM1.
Some 418,000 vehicles used the highway daily on average, reflecting a 14.5% compounded annual growth rate for the past seven years, rating firm RAM said in a review of Litrak.
Government officials told the briefing that one reason for the shortfall in toll collection was due to motorists switching to alternative non-toll roads, the source said.
The toll hikes, however, will not apply to Malaysia's biggest toll-road firm, Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS), a PLUS spokeswoman said.
PLUS' rate increase is fixed at 10% every three years and the next increase is not due until January 2008. Malaysia's annual inflation was 3.1% in October year-on-year, down from a 7-year-high of 4.8% in March. -- Reuters
DESIDERATA:
I had intended to take a breather from political/civilsociety issues, but this important news break that affects your brea&butter -- mine too, for I am no Datuk or Datuk's son! -- so I make an exception. In life, there is always time for exception.
What do you plan to do about it, mGf?
I remember I celebrated New Year's Day 2006 -- or was it 2005? I can't remember because no Anak M. or Helenic Trojan gave Desi a boukae for boiling in the sun! -- with some 30 brave Furong souls --mainly PKR and PAS and DAP supporters -- picketed at the Seremban toll station to protest the PLUS toll hikes. Did You even bother?
Are you going to bother?
And don't give me the crab you ain't got the time or that this "small" protest won't make a difference!
I have heard enough laments from this ilk okay, and my patience has run out, LONG, LONG AGO!
UPDATEd after market close~~
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Gamuda, Litrak up on toll hike
Share prices of Gamuda Bhd and Lingkaran Trans Kota Holdings Bhd (Litrak) closed higher on Dec 14 after the government announced an increase of up to 60% in toll rates for five highways in the Klang Valley.
Gamuda and its 38%-owned Litrak are the concession holders for the 40km Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP). Gamuda also has a stake in the consortium that holds the concession for the Kesas Shah Alam Highway. From Jan 1, the toll for LDP will be increased from RM1 to RM1.60.
(Desi: Yes, confirms the Reuters report of 60% rise.)
Gamuda closed 10 sen up at RM4.78 on 2.02 million shares. The warrants ended the day also 10 sen up at 72 sen with 1.85 million units done. Litrak closed two sen up to RM3.06 but off the early high of RM3.18. There were 961,500 shares done.
MTD Infraperdana Bhd, the concessionaire for the Karak Highway and East Coast Highway, closed four sen up at RM1.14 with 570,400 shares done.
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Desi surfed at TheEdgeDaily.Com @8.40PM Dec 14, 2006 and the above is an UPDATE.(The highlights THUS BOLDED and chicky confirmation of Reuters' accuracy are Desi's, not TheEdgeDaily.Com, not yours not the concessionaires'; nay-neigh!)
Well, dear ER<,see how some people are laughing all the way to the bank. After the RM600million largesse distributed without the arseking to make instant millionaires of some 200 UMNO divion chiefs at the recent UMNO GA, it's another year-end bonus at some concessionaires whose profits have guarantees at tax-payers' expense.
Only in NegaraKu the Government is handicapped in giving out compensation guarantees to privatised unit owners like tolled highways and independent power producers.
Paradise on earth, who says there isn't any?
Bame thyself, like Desi, you don't have The Ticket To Ride.
PS: PLease leave Desi alone until after Christmas Okay, I can't take anymore good nu'es, unless you are taking a G-string bride on that bridge, please do not interrupt my snooze, on pain I might just run AMUCK. Now what did that last word in bold originate from?
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NU'E YEAR 200SE7EN
if you steal can!:)
Desi's socialist/socialite, I'm still of that cant.
8.55PM
Dec 14, 200S'X!
18 comments:
IMHO, the TOL hikes is GOOD THING. But I afraid the pain of the pinch just temporary.
It is funny that people just picket for TOL hikes. WTF is the picket to get efficient public transport. Zzzzzzzz.
freelunch -- does this mean Desi and socilaist comrades like thyself have less freerunches to go around? Maybe two to share 1, okay -- fostering comradeship!:)
hey, why do you include this name among those nincompoops?
~~- letting anwar out
I protesteth -- and thy penalty is march to Seremban toll station on Jan 1, 2007 tpo join Desi on another showdown -- I'll try to retrieve the olde placards -- RECYCLE, remember?:)
moo_t:
you seem to CONtradict thyself; if you don't want to picket, don't lament if others take the trouble to, OK!
I thiunk you ought to go back to read about Gandhi's or other civil rights campaigners' strategies -- but whom am I to preach. I believe in action:)
Too many Malaysians talk and talk and talk
and even after semi-valued lembu have come home,
they are steal tokkingkok at the kpitiam-diam-diam? I give up on these, not mcuh better than the gomen who AP-ily collect the tolls and sahre the loot.
NOTE BY DESI:
Freelunch -- on second reading, I have to reproduce your comment with slight EDition; pls be more Carrefool sext time!
freelunch_2020 said...
hahahah
maybe this is to pay off khairy's debts!!!!
another fantastic move to win the rakyat's hearts
i am beginning to think that hey khairy is (DELETED )setting up the country for chaos
- hikes in fuel prices
- hike in toll
- almost monopoly of contracts at the expense of other umnoputras
- letting anwar out
?????
5:30 AM
Many get their tan from 5* hotel beach or golfing, now I know where ordinary rakyat get theirs. :-)
60% increase is alot. I sure hope folks affected by the toll hike can do something about it. It's ridiculous asking people to pay for something without disclosing the building cost. I know people will not complain if it is justified....
Hmmm, my bad english. Maybe I should rephrase to make my comment not to be read lamenting the picketing.
No, I didn't against the picketing. I just want to point out the lousy public transportation is the MAIN REASON the people being force to buy a car, force to use TOL road, give the cronies a chance to build more inferior, resource wasting TOL road.
If I am the opposition who organize the the protesting campaign, I will hire 1 or 2 person cycling around PutraJaya/KLCC with a banner/T-shirt of "400 buses down the drain", or perhaps a "cakap tak serupa bikin","Just Vote for Barang Naik" during the traffic hours.
FYI, few year ago, I use to cycling to work in KL, 15km away from home. I reach the office faster than anyone who taking bus,car and even motorbikes. And the traffic condition just become worst and car,motorbikes start invading my cycling routes, and make it dangerous to continue.
desi,
cos i was saying that the current govt is trying to cause political, economic and social unrest via it's policies, incl possibly letting anwar out to rock the boat
moo_t:
Thy explanation is noted.
On "protests", it's a civil right citizens when pushed to the wall can exercise -- remember Gandhi and Rev Jesse Jackson -- We can have a similar dream, yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss?
YAHLAR
WHERE IS our public transport system?
haiyoh...
actually i like my car also la...
slowly but surely we can wipe out all the LEAKAGES la..costing us normal rakyat while UMNOputras go and mingle with 'high society' on the beach under the sun at the MONSOON CUP
Wow. The anger.
Can't say I do understand the situation, but I'm sure it's a huge worry to all of us.
You go easy there okay? Relax a lil. Christmas is coming :) Take care!
Desi,
Do you not what goes well with having the cheapest toll rates in the region? Having the cheapest salaried civil staff in the region as well.
Well what can we do now except to change our life-style? No more teh tarik susu lembu now because the cows have begun their journey to ensure that they reach their kampungs for CNY in time.
freelunch2020:
SERIOUUUUUSSS mode, okay!
I tried Comenting at thy abode these two days BUTT yoou're out shutting Desi out!:(
You protest against the government, NOT the messenger YLCong thou the nu'es is "messy".
So here's that "failed" message, the lust tried and failed 10 minues ago, so it's more comforting back HOME!:)
"hi comrade, expect Desi to visit more often from Jan 1 for thy generous FleeRucnhes!:)
Happy Nu'e Year if you can.
Tioghten your belt -- your trousers are fallin'.:)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, the Nightmare has jest begun!:( accompanied by Dielight Robbery!:("
PS: Let's meet Jan 1, 2007 at one of the Toll Stations with some placards in KL/PJ yes? hey, drop me a line @chongyl2000@yahoo.com -- will roundup nat@jelas.info, johnleemk @Idon'trememberhisSMALLhouse; brudder Imnran back from SliRanka et al. Let's have party. If Moo_t cares to join us in the spirit of Gandhi?
PS: Oustation bloggermates like Helen, anak M and xypre -- wanna join the NY Party?
helen, twistedheels,sabrinatan, imran
Ipoh is free of tolls ah? So understanding wan! Wait for 2008 Jan 1, when N-S Expressway raises its tolls -- brudder Imran and I'll go NORTH to celebarte NU'E YEAR with thee, Ms patience is a virtue yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
TwistedHeels&Sabrina will then surely have to meet Desi 1/2-way (cut down tolls-lah!) from Penang and I'll re-cycle my 2005 Seremban placards "PLUS is daylight robeer" or
"Plus the nu'e highwayman"...
Hey, some parties to look forward to in lieu of "cancelled" 2006 G7 Bloggers Meet.
imran:
"Clicking" on your "nama" here in Comments leads me to definition opage for Blogsome, why-lah?
"Your e-mail address. This is the e-mail address that will be used for all mail from Blogsome to you about your weblog. It will not be revealed publicly. It is not easy to change this e-mail address once you've signed up, so pick one that will stick around for a while. Your weblog title. The "display name" for your weblog. You can change name at any time within your weblog. Whether or not the weblog is for testing purposes...."
Art thou back for some FUN-d protest in Klang valley ion Nu'e Year's Die 2007?
Call-lah you MIA-wannabe!:)
Happi Nu'e 'ear if you can:)
TO ALL MY ER:
See the People's People editorial commentary, and undersatnd waht BODEKness means in glovelling press:
Nation
Friday December 15, 2006
Government has little option but to allow rise in toll rates
THE STAR SAYS.......
IT’S bad news for city folks. They will have to pay higher toll rates for five highways around the capital from Jan 1.
No matter how the Government would want to mitigate the increase, it surely is a New Year present city folks can do without.
The hardest hit will be users of the Damansara-Puchong highway, where the increase will be 60 sen, to RM1.60.
The increase in toll rates will certainly lead to much unhappiness among commuters, who already have to cope with the rising cost of living.
But the fact is that the Government has little option. It may sound harsh but consumers must pay for the facilities they use.
Under the toll concession agreements approved in the 1990s, the Government has to reimburse the operators if traffic volumes and revenues fall short of the projections.
Many of us like to think that toll operators are walking away with piles of gold, but the reality is otherwise.
The other reality, which many of us are not aware of, is that highway users are heavily subsidised.
The affected toll operators are not making excessive profits, as some of us would imagine, because detailed analyses showed a 20% drop in traffic projection.
Heavier traffic volume along certain tolled highways need not necessarily mean higher collection because there are escape routes, which most of us are aware of.
Motorists are also not paying the full toll rate. Take for example, the 40km Damansara-Puchong highway. By right, the real toll should be RM2.10 on Jan 1 but a 50 sen subsidy for users is keeping the amount lower.
In short, the Government has to fork out RM2.06bil each year until 2010 to keep toll rates affordable to users.
That’s a huge amount and certainly which can be used for other socio-economic projects such as the construction of schools, public transport and hospitals. But the political reality is that we expect the Government to make it less painful for us.
The principle of burden sharing is being applied here and certainly we have to accept that as we improve the network of highways, the financial costs will increase.
Many may not believe that our highways are better than those in parts of Britain and the United States.
In many countries such as Indonesia, China and the Philippines, there is no such thing as subsidy for highway users. Motorists just have to pay for the use of these facilities.
The Jan 1 toll increase does not apply to the North-South Expressway operated by Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan.
Increasing road tax, an option suggested by some, would be unfair to non-users of the highways, particularly those outside Kuala Lumpur.
A staggered increase would mean little because at the end of the day, the same amount would still have to be applied. That is the legal contract that has bound the Government.
That aside, it cannot be denied that the construction of these highways has led to economic growth in residential and commercial areas along these highways.
It has made travelling easier and faster. Certainly, there is value for money for road users in the capital.
But as commuters pay more, they have a right to ask for better service. We would like to see shorter queues at toll gates and this can be done by offering good discounts for the use of the Smart Tag transponder. "
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Star sells the same BAD MEDsin the govt sells "In short, the Government has to fork out RM2.06bil each year until 2010 to keep toll rates affordable to users..." --- see how the press NEGLECTS to mention the LOP-SIDED, benefits-the-concessionaires only contracts signed with the highlway operators under PIRATISATION?
I say if nobody "mogok" as in go on strike......the toll price will stay that way....if the public make a fuss, then they will reduce it! happens all the time...they purposely hike up the price anticipating the ppl to make noise.....if we dont, they'll keep the extra profit and making uncle sammy a rich rich man.
dear helen: I owe thee an AP!
Rereading thy Comment, I think my wavelength danced elsewhere (Toll hikes taking a toll on my healla!):
"Many get their tan from 5* hotel beach or golfing, now I know where ordinary rakyat get theirs. :-)
60% increase is alot. I sure hope folks affected by the toll hike can do something about it..."
and Fashionasia's Comment applies too:
YES< consumers can do something about it!:)
I'll dedicate this Sundae's Inter:Lude to the issue and then let's
see if we can have some FUN-d:) to welcome new year 2007, semi-valued roads notwithstanding or collpasing!:(
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