KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 — The North-South Highway concessionaire (PLUS)  is entitled to raise toll rates by 5 per cent every three years for the next 22 years, from next year onwards until the end of the agreement in 2038, the federal government said today.

Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said based on the concession agreement signed with PLUS in November 2011, there will be no hikes until 2015 except for the Penang bridge where the toll rate will be the same until December 31, 2038.

"The latest agreement also set the toll rate increase of only 5 per cent every three years from 2016 until the end of the concession on December 31, 2038," she said in a statement.

The clarification followed her answer in Parliament to a supplementary question by Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari, who asked if there would be further toll hikes until the end of the concession agreement and at what rate.

“The government will always negotiate with concessionaires not just to fulfil our obligation but also to ensure measures taken will be beneficial to the people,” the deputy minister said.

Responding to Batu Pahat MP Datuk Mohd Idris’ initial question on the amount of profit accumulated by PLUS, the Papar MP said that toll collections by the concessionaire for 2014 totalled RM2.16 billion, but profit was only at RM8.4 million after taxes.

She said 50 per cent of the revenue went to servicing loans, with the remaining used as operating and maintenance cost (20 to 25 per cent), upgrading works (15 per cent) and dividends to shareholders Khazanah Nasional and the Employees Provident Fund (10 per cent).

Last Monday, Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof informed Parliament that RM214 million was set aside under the Budget 2016 to compensate PLUS.