THE Pakatan Harapan (PH) government never promised to abolish tolls immediately after taking power, said Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, adding that it could only do so gradually because of the huge costs involved in acquiring highway concessionaires.

“When I say we never promised to abolish tolls, I am referring to our manifesto which states that it will not be done immediately.

“We will have to spend billions of ringgit if we are to acquire and maintain tolled highways immediately.

“Government funds will not be enough for us to carry out important infrastructure development if we are saddled with the burden of buying and maintaining these highways,” he said in a statement issued through the Prime Minister’s Office today.

The government has repeatedly come under fire since taking over federal power last year for failing to abolish tolls.

Dr Mahathir said in the PH manifesto, the coalition had only promised to abolish tolls gradually.

He included a paragraph of the promise in his press statement, which reads:

“The Pakatan Harapan government will review all highway concession agreements.

“We will renegotiate to obtain the best value for money for the people so we can take over the concessions with the ultimate view of abolishing tolls gradually.”

The government is currently studying various proposal to take over a few highway concessionaires.

Dr Mahathir said as Putrajaya is in the midst of servicing the interest and principle of “trillions of ringgit” debt inherited from the Barisan Nasional government, it would not be able to sustain the acquisition and maintenance of highway concessions.

The government would be hampered in developing the country in other areas, he added.

“We won’t be able to accommodate requests from the people for development projects if we are burdened with maintaining highways.” – October 7, 2019.