PETALING JAYA, Jan 9 — Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng reiterated today that the government has opted to continue disallowing highway toll rate increases into 2020.

He said this after attending an event at the Customs Department in Kelana Jaya here.

"Though the government froze toll hikes this year at all highways, the people must remember that when the toll hike is frozen, then the government must pay the losses incurred.

"This is a cost that is burdensome to the government, but because we want to control living costs, want to help the rakyat, it was frozen, but it seems like this was not given due coverage,” Lim said.

When asked about the estimated cost to the government this time around, Lim said he would reveal the figure at a later date.

In December 2018, the government chose to maintain existing toll rates at all expressways in the country for 2019.

In a statement disclosing the Cabinet decision from December 12 then, Lim said the move will cover all vehicle classes on the country’s 21 highways eligible for increased toll rates next year, at a cost of RM994.43 million to taxpayers’ monies.