THE government’s decision to no longer offer highway toll exemptions for festive occasions starting this year is a correct move, said a road safety and sustainable transport activist.
Calling the decision “long overdue”, Shahrim Tamrin said the move of giving toll exemptions during the travel period of Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Deepavali and Christmas when traffic is expected to peak is akin to “pouring kerosene to fire”.
“It is a long overdue decision by the government to stop providing free access on highways since it utilised taxpayers money to compensate the highway concessionaires during the toll-free days,” said the former member of the board of directors of Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS).
Shahrim said this in response to the announcement by Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who said on Tuesday (Jan 21) that the Cabinet has decided that a more targeted approach should be used instead.
Nanta also told reporters after the opening of Section 2 of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) that this was in line with the government’s move towards implementing targeted subsidies.
Counter-productive policy
According to Shahrim, the highway toll-free approach during festive occasions travel period – introduced by the previous administration under former prime minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob in April 2022 and continued under the administration of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim – is a counter-productive policy.
“Toll waivers defeat transport sustainability, efficient traffic management and contribute to dreadful road congestion on highways and federal or state roads,” he elaborated.
“Subsequently, the huge volume of road traffic on highways spilled over to artery and secondary roads and created traffic standstills in towns and rural areas.
“A clear example was the gruelling and taxing 24-hour journey from Klang Valley to Kelantan experienced by many. Imagine the high risk of safety on the road due to drivers’ fatigue.”
Shahrim further rationalised that toll-free not only increase road congestion and resulted in higher fuel consumption but also lead to an increase in carbon dioxide emissions and outdoor air pollution.
Based on academic research, road transport contributed to over 70% of air pollution in urban areas and was the second largest contributor to the total carbon dioxide emissions in Malaysia at 21% in 2016.
For the record, Malaysia made a pledge at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2021, to reduce greenhouse emissions.
In the interest of Malaysians in general, Shahrim stressed that the RM540 mil of taxpayers’ money for toll-free allocated in the past three years “could have been diligently channelled to ‘rakyat marhaen’ to use various land public transport modes.”
“The government can provide them to use express or chartered bus as well as rail services via electronic ticket vouchers or at discounted fares,” he added.
Shahrim went on to urge the establishment to use the toll-free RM180 mil annual spending (on average) for other purposes that include life-saving measures.
“In an ideal situation and if the federal government is serious to implement targeted subsidies, then it should be channelled for inter-state public transport connectivity by giving vouchers or reduced fares to those who are really in need of safe travel such as the motorcycle users group,” he remarked.
“Mind you, motorcyclists are consistently accounted as the group with the highest numbers of road fatalities during festive seasons. For example, during the Hari Raya ‘balik kampung’ period, if there are 24 road deaths daily, 20 of them are motorcycle users.”
He also pointed out that the RM180 mil annually could have been channelled diligently during festive seasons to air travellers to West Malaysia as well as to north, south and east coast of Peninsular especially for the low-income groups and students.
“The targeted subsidies, if that’s what the government is planning to execute, during festive seasons can be expanded for the ‘rakyat marhaen’ to use the soon-to-be-completed East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and north-to-south double-track rail services in the coming years,” he added.
“It is a win-win situation if the federal government sets its priorities right rather than committing to populist decisions when using taxpayers’ money.” – Jan 22, 2025
