PETALING JAYA, Dec 1 — PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PMB) was yesterday non-committal on whether it will raise its toll rates by five per cent next year and every three years for the next 22 years.

Its corporate communications spokesman said the company had no statement to make in regards to comments by Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin in Parliament on their concessionaire agreement.

“All we can say is we will follow the agreement,” said the spokesman.

Rosnah told Parliament yesterday that PLUS was entitled to raise the toll rates periodically.

“The latest agreement also set the toll rate increase of five per cent every three years from next year until the end of the concession on December 31, 2038,” she replied to a question from Setiawangsa MP Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari.

Last week, Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof said the government had allocated RM593.32 million to compensate the highway concessionaires if they are not allowed to hike their rates.

“I’m not deciding on whether there will be an increase or not. Those entitled to receive hikes for next year are eight highways,” Fadillah said in Parliament.

The PLUS highways are the North-South Expressway which is entitled to RM214 million in compensation, Second Link Expressway (RM8.24 million), Elite Highway (RM79.44 million), Butterworth-Kulim Expressway (RM3.11 million) and Seremban-Port Dickson Highway (RM1.95 million).

Tolls at highways operated by 11 concessionaires were raised between 20 sen and RM3 in October.