Nanta: No plans to renegotiate highway concession agreements
This followed the government's recent announcement to postpone toll hikes on 10 highways for this year, marking the second time such increases have been absorbed since 2021.
Nanta said while the government was open to discussing short-term toll hike deferments with concessionaires, typically through compensation mechanisms, a full renegotiation of concession terms was not on the table.
"Each highway operates under a different concession agreement with varying durations and conditions. We can negotiate postponements, but we still have to pay compensation," he said.
"To overhaul an entire contract would require the concessionaire's willingness. So far, there is no direction or decision to renegotiate any existing agreements."
Nanta was responding to a question on whether the government planned to revisit the original terms of toll concessions, particularly to ease the financial burden on motorists.
He was speaking to reporters after attending Berita Harian's podcast at Balai Berita here today.
Welcoming him were Media Prima Bhd group chairman Datuk Seri Dr Syed Hussian Aljunid and Media Prima's News and Current Affairs Division group managing editor Jasbant Singh.
Nanta said the toll hike deferment applied only for this year, with the government expected to bear over RM500 million in compensation.
"Let me clarify. The toll freeze applies only for 2025."
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