The government is expected to finalise its decision on implementing the Multi-Lane Fast Flow (MLFF) toll payment system by 16 December, according to Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan. The proposal remains under review by the Works Ministry (KKR), as it requires the consent of highway concession companies managing toll roads across the country.
One major hurdle is the overlapping concessions involved in the plan. Ahmad Maslan explained that a new concessionaire seeks to implement MLFF on highways managed by 33 existing concessionaires, including those under PLUS Malaysia, which oversees over 1,500 kilometres of highways. PLUS opposes this arrangement, arguing that it has the capacity to implement the MLFF system independently.
The KKR is addressing these concerns and intends to present a Cabinet Paper for a final decision. Ahmad Maslan shared this update during the winding-up of the debate on the Supply (Budget) Bill 2025 at the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, reiterating the importance of resolving the concessionaire issue to move forward with the MLFF initiative.
The debate over MLFF is not new. In December 2023, 32 toll concessionaires raised objections to the government’s move to directly award the project to a new player. This led to a response from Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi, who clarified that the prior government had granted in-principle approval for the project. However, this approval was intended to facilitate negotiations among the involved parties rather than finalising the implementation framework, he added.
(Source: Bernama)
