PETALING JAYA, Sept 24 — The government will keep compensating highway concessionaires for frozen toll rates while it works on delivering its pledge to make expressways free to use, said a special officer to the finance minister.

Pakatan Harapan pledged to abolish tolls nationwide as part of its election manifesto, but has since deferred this over the costs that would be incurred to do so.

Despite the announced plan to eliminate all highway tolls, Pua — a key proponent of the removal who previously suggested it could be done for as little as RM25 billion — said existing contracts must be honoured until then.

Putrajaya pays concessionaires hundreds of millions to depart from the periodic rate increases stated in their contracts.

"That means if the rates are not according to their contracts, then compensation will have to continue,” Pua told Malay Mail at an event commemorating Malaysia Day in Kampung Tunku here.

Putrajaya remained committed to the pledge, Pua said before adding that this was not currently a priority due to the state of the country’s finances.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng repeatedly categorised Malaysia’s "debt” as over RM1 trillion.

"It is something we want to do, nonetheless. But for the time being the government’s finances are worse than anticipated so we are (busy) pushing that back,” Pua explained.

The prospect for the abolition of highway tolls in Malaysia dimmed after then EPF chairman Datuk Shahril Ridza Ridzuan suggested in May that it was unlikely to be achieved in Pakatan Harapan’s first 100 days of power.

On August 13, Works Minister Baru Bian told Parliament that abolishing tolls entirely would cost the government RM400 billion, a figure previously mentioned by the defeated Barisan Nasional government when explaining its inability to make local highways free.

The minister’s remark led BN leaders including former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to remind Pua of the latter’s assertion that it would cost just RM25 billion rather than RM400 billion.

Pua previously disagreed with Baru’s conclusion and said it would not cost the government RM400 billion, but did not offer an alternative figure.