MORE good news await road users this year, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said.

He said the first development was the reduction in toll charges on the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge in Penang, from RM8.50 to RM7.00, effective today.

“There will be more good news in days to come, please wait for the announcements,” Lim told reporters after a visit to the bridge today.

Lim recently said the cabinet would be making a decision next week on the various takeover bids for highway concessionaire PLUS Malaysia Bhd, as well as four other highways under Gamuda Bhd.

He said a decision had to be made soon to prevent extra government spending on compensation as a result of a freeze in increasing toll rates.

Lim had also previously announced, when tabling the national budget for 2020, that the government would reduce toll rates on all PLUS highways by 18% from 2020.

On the reduction of toll rates at the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge, Lim said it would encourage more people to use the second link between the mainland and Penang island.

In turn, this would help disperse traffic and reduce congestion on the Penang Bridge.

The toll rate reduction for the Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge was previously announced in the national budget for 2020, effective today. – January 1, 2020.