APA SEBENARNYA STRATEGI YG DIGUNAKAN OLEH DS GOH TSU KOON SEWAKTU
RUNDINGAN BERSAMA TUM M DAN TUN DAIM UNTUK PASTIKAN HARGA TOL BRIDGE
TIDAK DINAIKKAN...
"Dr. Koh Tsu Koon discloses secret of Penang bridge toll charges remains unchanged for 30 years..."
(Penang, 13 October) While highway concessionaires are announcing the
revision of toll charges, the Penang Bridge has remained its toll rate
for the last 30 years. What is the secret?
The key people who know about the secret include former Penang Chief
Minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon. When interviewed by Sin Chew Daily, he
revealed after the bridge was privatized, through negotiation with the
Federal Government and concessionaire, commuters are allowed to use the
bridge without paying for the increase in toll charges.
Penang Bridge was completed in 1985. The bridge came under the
jurisdiction of Federal Government. When he was the Penang Chief
Minister (since 1990), he learned about the privatization of the bridge.
“I found out details about the privatization from the then Finance
Minister Tun Daim. I was told the increase of the toll charges for the
bridge would be 6% each year. The rates would be adjusted every three
years. This means the increase is about 20% for three years.”
“Based on the 25-year exclusive contract, the toll charges would ultimately be increased to RM40.”
Increasing number of cars why need to make more profit
Dr Koh said the Penang Barisan Nasional lost 14 state seats in 1990 General Elections. Penang Barisan Nasional could lose all the seats with such privatization model.
“I opposed it strongly. I also related to the then Prime Minister Tun Dr
Mahathir when the number of vehicles crossing the bridge is increasing
rapidly, why need to make more profit?”
His suggestion then was that if there was a need to revise the charges,
the margin of increase should be based on inflation rate. If the
inflation rate is 2%, and toll rate is revised every five years, the
toll rate of the bridge would only be RM14 after 30 years.
After a round of discussion between the Federal Government and concessionaire, the exclusive contract was then sealed.
Negotiate with Federal Government three times to extend tenure of collection for no increase in toll charges
Dr Koh said the concessionaire had planned to increase toll charges in
1998. It was during financial crisis and he reflected to the Federal
Government that the concessionaire should not be revising toll charges
when people were facing difficulties. Concessionaire was making profit
then.
After Federal Government’s negotiation with concessionaire, toll rates remained unchanged.
Another round of adjustment was supposed to be in 2003. Dr Koh said the
911 terrorist attacks in 2001 had affected the electronics industry
throughout the world. The economy of Penang faced similar crisis. Based
on the SARS incident in 2003, he made similar request to the Federal
Government to maintain toll charges.
“The third adjustment of toll charges is to be done in 2008. In 2007, I
told the Federal Government that General Election was around the corner
and hoped the authorities to take into consideration of people’s lives
by not increasing toll charges.”
After General Elections in 2008, Dr Koh stepped down. Toll charges did
not increased too. He believed the Penang Bridge was the only privatized
highway where its rate remained for 30 years.
News information indicated that the RM7 of toll charges for Penang
Bridge remain unchanged but the concessionaire – North South Expressway
was granted the permission to extend the exclusive contract to 2038.
Disediakan oleh : PeneranganPemudaSEREMBAN
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