The Malaysian Insight

PAKATAN Harapan remains committed to its election pledge to scrap toll for motorists, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said today as toll is removed for motorcycles on the two Penang bridges and Johor’s second link to Singapore.

He said scrapping toll for motorcycles was just the beginning, as more good news would come as Malaysia recovered financially.

“Today is the first day for the motorcycle toll abolishment on the first and second Penang Bridges, and the Johor Second link.

“This is part of the government’s effort to fulfil its GE14 manifesto. This is the preliminary step towards abolishing tolls.

“We are not stopping at motorcycle tolls only. We will continue to work towards the objective. If our fiscal situation gets better, there may be more good news for the people,” Lim told the press in Penang today after launching a lift upgrading project at the Bukit Gelugor Customs quarters.

PH had of late been panned for not being able to fulfil a number of promises it had made in its election manifesto after winning Putrajaya in the May 9 polls last year. Abolishing tolls nationwide was one of the pledges.

The administration was also criticised for “copying” the old Barisan Nasional government’s promise to scrap toll for bikes.

“If the government is still under BN, toll for motorcycles may be scrapped. But the GST (goods and services tax) would still be implemented and continue to make life hard for the people,” Lim said.

He also said even without GST and with the Sales and Services Tax (SST), which collected less revenue for the government, the PH administration would still support and implement welfare programmes, and had paid out a special RM1 billion bonus to 1.4 million civil servants last month.

Lim said the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal had strained the nation’s finances, and hampered the PH government from abolishing tolls immediately.

“The world has changed, and the trade war has its impact on Malaysia, too. The stock market is down, but Malaysia is still performing better than some other countries. 

“We have to work hard. I am optimistic that we can face the challenges with foreign investors confident in Malaysia. Even the rating agencies have maintained our credit status.

“We have to be strong and patient. In three years, we will work to improve our fiscal situation and to meet our target to be an advanced and high-income economy,” he said.

Lim urged Malaysians to work with the government and not let “irresponsible parties cause disunity and try to cover up scandals”. – January 1, 2019.