PETALING JAYA: Highway users will be exempt from paying tolls on highways nationwide on Dec 23 and 26 in conjunction with Christmas celebrations, say Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.
The Deputy Works Minister said, in a statement today that the dates were chosen to avoid a concentration of traffic leading to congestion and to optimise logistics.
He also said that the toll exemption would apply at all toll plazas except those at the country's borders, which are the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) toll plaza and the Tanjung Kupang toll plaza in Johor.
"It is hoped that this toll waiver will reduce the burden on those who are planning to return to their home towns to visit their families and celebrate Christmas together," Ahmad said."Highway users should take advantage of this opportunity and plan their journeys as best as possible while observing the recommended travel time advisory schedule," he said.
Highway users are also advised to focus on safety by observing the speed limits, signage and regulations while on the road.
On Tuesday, Ahmad said that, on average, the government allocates RM21mil a day to the highway concessionaires through the implementation of free tolls.
This year, he said the government paid out RM80.07mil in conjunction with Hari Raya Aidilfitri, RM42.31mil for Deepavali and RM41.21mil for the Chinese New Year to implement the toll-free initiative.
