11/03/2012 MCA has welcomed the Government's decision not to impose toll charges on those who do not use the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL). Its president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek said the party had been clear from the beginning that those who do not use EDL need not pay. “Those who use the EDL but do not enter the Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex should not pay toll charges,” he said. Dr Chua said the question which arose now was how the technical issues would be resolved as it was a privatised project. “How is the toll concessionaire going to get their money? How is the Government going to resolve this without having to pay compensation?” he said. Dr Chua had accompanied Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak during a walkabout in Setia Indah yesterday. Najib announced on Friday that those who do not use the EDL need not pay toll. It was previously reported that the 8.1km EDL, which is almost completed, would force motorists travelling to Singapore via the Johor Causeway to pay about five times more than the present RM2.90 paid for both ways to PLUS Bhd. Motorists would have to pay the proposed RM6.20 toll charge if they entered the CIQ Complex using routes other than the EDL, since the toll collection is done inside the complex. The link, which costs RM1.1bil, connects the North-South Expressway to the Johor CIQ.
Stulang assemblyman Mok Chek Hou thanked the Prime Minister for resolving the matter. “The next issue will be for the toll rates to be revised as the RM6.20 one way for EDL is too high,” he said.
