SHAH ALAM, Jan 1 — For 25 years, the Sungai Rasau and Batu Tiga toll plazas located along the Federal Highway ran day and night.
As the clock struck midnight yesterday, however, both toll plazas were relieved of their “duties” and raised their boom gates a last time to symbolise their abolition as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when tabling Budget 2018.
Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar said the removal of the tolls showed the Barisan Nasional government listened to the people.
“The closure would benefit about 270,000 residents in Shah Alam and Klang in cost saving,” he said at a thanksgiving ceremony in conjunction with the closure of both tolls.
About 1,000 people attended the thanksgiving ceremony that began around 8pm yesterday.
Also present were Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin, Shah Alam Umno division chief Datuk Azhari Shaari, Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Ismail Md Salleh and PLUS managing director Datuk Azman Ismail.
Following the official document handover, maintenance and operations of the Federal Highway would now fall under the purview of the Works Department after it was gazetted as a federal road.
The abolition is also 20 years ahead of the expiry contained in the concession agreement between PLUS Malaysia Bhd (PLUS) and the federal government in 2011.
Aside from the two, Najib also announced that the tolls in Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah and at the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) in Johor would also be discontinued.
At the thanksgiving ceremony organised by the Shah Alam division of Umno, a prayer was offered that thanked the government and prime minister for choosing to end the two tolls prematurely.
“A burden has been lifted off the people’s shoulder, particularly those in Shah Alam and we are grateful for that, which is why we recite the prayer to show our gratitude,” said Mohd Badrudin Osman, 63, who led the prayers.
