NO new highway projects, including three in the Klang Valley, will receive funds from the government, said Works Minister Fadillah Yusof.

He said the concessionaires would have to bear the costs of these projects and any risks involved.

“There will no longer be any financial assistance from the government for all new highways. In fact, no assistance for land either. Previously, land acquisition cost for highway construction was partly financed by the government.

“Now, there will be no more soft loans; they will have to be shouldered by the concessionaires,” he said in Petaling Jaya last night.

It has been previously reported the Petaling Jaya Traffic Dispersal Elevated Highway (PJD Link), Putrajaya-Bangi Expressway (PBE) and Kuala Lumpur Northern Dispersal Expressway (KL-Node) projects have obtained approval in principle from the government.

On April 4, Fadillah said the government welcomed private takeover of concessionaires for the purpose of restructuring to reduce the financial burden to the taxpayer.

Earlier on the same day, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced that the government had agreed with the restructuring of four Klang Valley highway concessionaires: Kesas Sdn Bhd, Smart Tunnel, Sprint Expressway and LDP. – Bernama, June 3, 2022.