KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — A DAP MP said today the government must explain why the head of  the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) was at a briefing on the toll rate hike on the main border entry into  Singapore on  Monday,  backing the concessionaires of Eastern Dispersal Link , Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd.

In a statement, Liew Chin Tong,  chairman of DAP Johor,  said Works minister Datuk Fadilah Yusof must say if  MHA director-general Datuk Ismail Md Salleh had been sanctioned by the government to endorse Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd’s views.

The Kluang MP  has not contacted MHA, which a  government agency.

The Eastern Dispersal Link is as a toll-free expressway which bypasses Malaysia’s main border entry into Singapore at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex.

“MRCB’s  propaganda pits users of Eastern Dispersal Link  against users of  CIQ,” Liew said.

“The entire logistics sector is affected by the toll hike which will have huge state-wide inflationary implication. Those who  are on factory buses and other means of public transport are adversely affected as well,” he added.

Putrajaya effectively raised toll rates by over 400 per cent  at the Causeway linking to Singapore on August 1, which the MHA previously said was to help finance the EDL.