Toll hike: Samy, answer these questions

[invisibleghost]

Joey Chan: Samy Vellu, all I need you to do is to answer the following questions:

1. What is the annual collection from road taxes by the government? What is our annual collection from the duties on imported vehicles? What is our annual collection from excise duties on all vehicles? Then compare these with the annual road subsidies and maintenance of public roads.
2. In order to compare apples with apples, tell us what percentage of public roads in emerging markets (like Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, India and China) are toll roads. Then give us a comparison of the toll rates in such countries on a per km basis.
3. You say that the government cannot afford to continue to subsidise the tolls. Then why did your boss announce an extra RM600 million for Umno constituencies (to be used up in three months!), the RM400 million Istana project, the RM220 million Agricultural Expo project, the RM3 billion Penang bridge project? These projects can either be delayed or downsized and the surplus funds be used to lessen the burden on the public. What is the reason for not doing it?

When you answer these questions, please look at us in the eye because we are not as dumb as the journalists you faced earlier this week.

Sharon: I'm deeply affected by the toll hike. I'm staying at Lagoon Perdana and I use the toll everyday to send my son to his babysitter. I pay RM3.20 for the toll everyday. Fuel prices have increase, and so are food prices but our salary remains the same.

The kindergarden itself is so expensive. Because of this, I'm scared to have another child (currently I have only one child). I hope all the society groups can fight this toll rise. I can’t take it anymore. My stomach is burning with fire when I think about how to survive and pay for this and that.

Dhammika: The government should immediately and completely remove the toll subsidy. It hurts more to stagger the increases. ‘Semi Value’ should stop comparing rates from other countries. This comparison cannot hold water. The country’s GDP must be taken into comparison as well as the respective strength of the various currencies.

Why must the ministers call a meeting with the editors to gag them from expressing the people’s views. Be more transparent and accountable in the administration of the rakyat’s money. Confiscate the assets and money of the corrupt few to pay for the toll. I hope the ACA will investigate the US$100 million commission paid for the purchase of submarines. Well, the list can go on...

Meng: Don’t complaint, just remember all this gross injustices and remember all the excesses, and the rich MPs and town councilors who squander and rob the people. When the BN government comes with all their sweeteners prior to elections and promises of projects, remember the racial remarks, remember the petrol hike, remember the toll hikes and most of all, remember the arrogant MP who says “if you want it, pay for it.”

Who robbed the poor in Malaysia? Look at the auditor-general’s report where money supposed to be used for state development and the poor were channeled to office repairs, camera equipment etc. All this revelation has gone unchecked, and the ACA says it is hard to prosecute without evidence. The ACA should interview the auditor-general to find out about their claims.

The rakyat has one tool of evaluation and that is the ballot boxes.


http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/61084

 

[invisibleghost]

Samy’s ‘cheapest’ toll rates claim misleading
Richard Teo
Dec 18, 06 4:08pm Adjust font size:

Works Minister S Samy Vellu defends the coming steep rise in toll rates on grounds that Malaysia has the 'cheapest tolls in the world'. What the minister fails to add is that other countries’ citizens don’t pay road tax and their import duties and excise duties don’t reach to 100% to 200% levels depending on the models.

An average popular car like Toyota Vios cost US$10,000 (RM36,000) in America. In Malaysia, it costs almost RM90,000 - more than twice the value as in America. Naturally motorists in America don’t mind paying a higher toll rate since cars are cheaper. But in Malaysia, we are hit with a triple whammy - we pay road tax, road tolls and pay hefty import and excise duties on cars.

When the American government builds their highways, the contracts are openly tendered and the whole process is transparent. All contracts, the terms and conditions of the highway contract agreements are opened for public scrutiny. When a contract of US$1 billion is given out, we can safely assume that it is a justifiable cost.

On completion of the highway, the operator assumes the risk of a normal business venture. There is no such thing as a government guarantee that the highway toll collected will be profitable. Any loss would have to be borne by the operator and there is no such thing as compensation if the expected profit does not materialise.

Can we say the same practice for our Malaysian highway construction? Here in Malaysia, highway contracts are given out without tender. Cost of a RM1 billion highway project is given at RM3 billion to companies dubiously connected to the ruling political party. Terms and agreement of the highway contract are so secretive that they come under the purview of the OSA (Official Secrets Act).

Naturally, when inflated values are given to the actual cost of highways, the tendency is that toll rates are calculated based on the inflated rates. What should have been a RM1 collection becomes RM2 because of the inflated cost of the highway.

The most ridiculous part of the whole highway contract agreement is that the government provides the operator with an iron-clad guarantee allowing them to increase the toll rates every few years.

If toll rate increases are not given, the government gives an undertaking to compensate the operator to the extent of the amount loss in revenue. According to the works minister, an amount of RM2.5 billion was given as compensation to a concessionaire. This alone should create further suspicions as to whether the whole structure of the highway concession agreements was done in a fair and equitable manner.

The minister should desist from comparing our toll rates with other countries especially when all other factors are not similar and equal. First and foremost, let us have a look at the highway concessionaire agreements to see if everything is above board. Then let the public judge whether the toll increase is justifiable.

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/61107

 

[invisibleghost]

Toll hike: ‘We are not that stupid, dear minister’
Disgusted
Dec 18, 06 4:07pm Adjust font size:

I refer to the malaysiakini report Toll rates: 20%-60% hike!

Once again, we bear witness to the kind of arrogance with which our government chooses to bulldoze their plan of doing anything they choose to, and with considerable impunity. Almost everything they plan and implement seems to have only their interest at heart, and not the rakyat’s. And the veil of secrecy behind it all is terribly suffocating.

The recent toll hike is yet another classic case of a recalcitrant government acting on its own whims and fancies. Sure, they have been hiding many things. It all smacks of utter insincerity because the agreement with the highway concessionaires is all kept under wraps. It is for their eyes only and never to be seen by the public.

And all this talk by the prime minister about righteousness and stamping out corruption is all nothing but political humbug and empty talk. Otherwise, why keep the agreements that are imposing a burden on the voting public a secret?

We dare the government to bring it out into the open. But of course, that is not about to happen anytime soon, is it?

It is well known that the toll concessionaires are raking in huge profits. And Works Minister S Samy Vellu, as usual, with complete nonchalance says the government is subsidising the rates. We are not that stupid, dear minister. On the other hand, we’ve elected you guys.

This recent hike is terribly preposterous. It clearly indicates that the taxes and all the other rates we pay are being squandered, without any semblance of accountability. Enough is enough.

I do hope that Saudara Anwar Ibrahim is reading this. My vote is certainly for you in the next election.


http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/61106

 

[fazrul]

agree wif u

 

[BLaCkHoWLiNG]

there's a word travelling around..... soon to be....


50 cents hike in petrol...

 

[invisibleghost]

blackie, heard abt that too

 

[JacEK]

well said.

too bad we only can release our frustrations here... but can never reach to all those 'soon to be richer' ministers.

 

[rorytate]

well, instead of just voicing out here....

is there something we can do??

putting it in black and white and filled with signatory

 

[JacEK]

i think tats all we can do. voice out our frustrations here. how many protest so far tat could change Gov desision?? Where do we stand in m'sia? Human Right....haha yeah right.

do u know there was a protest in cheras ytrday...on this toll price hike? bout 800 residents joined in

 

[rorytate]

Jac, wow there was a protest in Cheras??? damn i should have been there...

however there was some-dunno-what-havoc at the same row as Maybank(Cheras Business Center) at night...any news on what?

 

[zephyr3d]

mahaiii.... i'm going rempit'ing already... joining the darkside...

 

[JacEK]

Jac, wow there was a protest in Cheras??? damn i should have been there...

however there was some-dunno-what-havoc at the same row as Maybank(Cheras Business Center) at night...any news on what?

apparently, all media have been warned by G not to publish any protest on the toll price increase. i read it on malaysiakini.com

 

[Duke Red]

It's daylight robbery, pure and simple. The cheat us with the knowledge that we know we are being cheated but cannot do anything about it.

 

[invisibleghost]

Thousands expected at anti-toll hike demo
Bede Hong
Dec 19, 06 12:28pm
www.malaysiakini.com

Opposition parties and consumer groups are planning a mammoth protest against the increase in toll hikes for five highways in the Klang Valley.

It is learnt that thousands are expected to turn up at the protest which will be held along the Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong (LDP) highway on Jan 7.

PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub said the party will bring between 5,000 and 10,000 protestors.

“We are sad that the government is not considerate towards the people, especially those with low incomes,” he said when met after a closed-door discussion in Kuala Lumpur last night.

The hour-long discussion at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall was attended by DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, Suaram co-ordinator S Arutchelvan, PAS treasurer Hatta Ramli, Parti Keadilan Rakyat information chief Tian Chua and Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) president Syed Shahrir Syed Mohammad.

A ‘Protes Kenaikan Tol’ committee has been set up and will be helmed by Syed Shahrir.

Last week, the government announced that the toll rates for the five highways will rise between 20 o 60 percent effective Jan 1. LDP will see its toll rise from RM1 to RM1.60.

Tian said the Jan 7 protest will not only see the participation of party members. “Local residents who are unhappy with the toll hike will also participate,” he added when met at the same venue.

Syed Shahrir said the committee has yet to decide on the exact location to hold the protest.

“It would likely be somewhere where there are parking spaces for the protestors. We would not be blocking traffic. However, we would be visible to road users.

“It’s a big mobilisation. I don’t think it would be solely because of the toll hikes. The public is very angry at a combination of things that happened this year, including the fuel hikes,” he added.

Buy back highways

The committee will also submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Department on Dec 27 denouncing the toll hikes.

The memorandum will call on the government to make public the clauses in the concessionaire agreements and to buy back the concessions.

Works Minister S Samy Vellu disclosed that it cost RM4.13 billion to construct the five highways: LDP, Shah Alam Highway, Cheras-Kajang Highway, Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway and the Guthrie Corridor Expressway.

The minister also revealed that a RM2.589 billion compensation package for the five concessionaires was to be incurred from Jan 1, 2007 when the new toll rates take effect to the next review in toll rates, which is between 2010 and 2012.

Samy Vellu also said the government had to compensate a total of RM2.275 billion to the operators of four of the five highways, not including Guthrie Corridor.

The two compensations amount to RM4.9 billion.

Opposition party DAP has urged the government to buy up the five highways by paying the concessionaires RM4.13 billion for the total construction cost.

In a related development, DAP will proceed with the Dec 31 protest at the Grand Saga toll plaza along the Cheras highway. The protest is jointly organised by the Bandar Mahkota Cheras Open Access Road Action Committee (BMC-OARAC).

On Sunday, a protest organised by DAP and BMC-OARAC saw some 800 people taking to the streets in Cheras to vent their frustration against the toll hike.

 

[R.C.]

Hidep Sammy Cheng ! Eh no Sam me Vah Liu !!


Edited due to fear =P