Works Ministry for the first time allow the public to view the toll concessionaire agreements.
The toll concession agreements can now be viewed at the library of the Works Ministry but photocopies of the documents are not allowed, it needed the Order of the DYMM Yang di-Pertuan Agung under Section 3 of the Fees Act (1951) to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat and gazetted.
Those who wished to view the concessionaire agreements can fill up the form then only allow to access the agreement for two hours and only five people are allowed at any one time, if they wish to have more time to view the agreements they need to fill up the new form and wait for their turn again.
I am happy to see that, now the Works Ministry start to take public suggestion regarding to the toll concession. In The Star Jan 8th, Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed has invited all parties who have studied the toll concession agreement to give him a memorandum with their queries or suggestion. Moreover, there is not time frame to submit the memorandum and is his duty as minister to respond.
According to New Straits Times news, Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the government should not use traffic volume and bank loan guarantees if government would like to privatise the second Penang Bridge. Commenting on the agreement for the existing bridge (Penang bridge) with Mekar Idaman Sdn Bhd, he said it was a lopsided agreement, which benefited the company, if the government refuses to approve an increment in toll rates, it has to compensate Mekar Idaman for the loss based on estimated traffic flow on the bridge.
MCA Youth will set up a special unit to study the toll concessionaire agreements which made public on 5th Jan 2009. What I surprise is that, the toll concessionaire agreements normally will discuss in the cabinet meeting, and MCA have several ministers in cabinet, they should well understand the issue before this concessionaire agreement made public.
As Malaysia citizen, that a great idea the the government review all the toll concessionaire agreements, but do our government act the best benefits for rakyat to sign the agreement the toll concessionaire agreement? Of course government also have to fair enough to the toll concessionaire company, but if there is lopsided then is not fair to either side.
Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed said all future toll concession agreements signed between the Government and highway operators will be made public.
But what we concern is the agreement will be fair enough?
