Tony Pua disagrees with Baru Bian that toll compensation will cost RM400 billion

(MMO) – Damansara MP Tony Pua today said that it would cost far less than the RM400 billion in compensation as mentioned earlier this week, should the government decide to buy out the toll concessions companies.

“The RM400 billion was a figure given by the last government, which takes into account compensation due to the concession companies, including future forecasted profits.

“The number that we accounted for, if we take over of which there are no such plans yet, we will have to compensate according to the rates in the contract agreement, cost of construction, excluding the forecasted revenues,” he said.

Pua was responding to what Works Minister Baru Bian had told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that the abolishment would cost the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government around RM400 billion in compensation costs.

The special officer to Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng also responded to a suggestion brought forward by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who suggested that he be tasked with making sure the PH government’s promise of abolishing the tolls is fulfilled.

“I would like to thank Datuk Seri Najib for the faith he has in me, but I will pass all these suggestions to the government,” he added.