Tolls can be a real bummer. They are everywhere; their iconic green roofs springing out at every turn of the road, especially if you live in West Coast Peninsular Malaysia. Without a doubt, tolls are now a permanent fixture in the lives of many who drives in Malaysia, and whether we like it or not, we have to factor them into our monthly household expenditure.

That is why toll charges have become something we can’t help but gripe about all the time, and it is this sort of low-key discontent that some mud-slinging politicians thrive on. Tony Pua immediately comes to mind. The man is known for his predisposition to spout out random, impracticable numbers to bamboozle his audience for political gain. 

Remember how he used to passionately explain to us all why it is for the greater good to abolish all tolls? That it would only set the government back RM25 billion to remove all existing tolled highways? Where is he now? 

Abolition of tolls is not just a promise made by a ragtag bunch of politicians; it also successfully made its way into the GE14 election manifesto pledged by the Pakatan Harapan coalition as a whole. The enticing book of promises was a hit amongst Malaysians, and the rest is history. 

Despite that, it had become abundantly clear over the next few months that they are not keen at all in fulfilling most of their promises, including the one regarding tolls. Coalition head Dr Mahathir even went as far as saying that toll-free highways weren’t possible.

Except that they absolutely are.

In 2017, upon the announcement of Budget 2018, toll collections were abolished for Batu Tiga, Sungai Rasau, Bukit Kayu Hitam and the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) — all four remain toll-free up to this very day. As a result, countless road users benefit every day from the lack of fancy talks, empty promises, excuses as well as the rebranding of tolls as congestion charges. 

Having the will to implement toll-free roads makes a world of difference. Take the Sungai Nyior toll as a case study. 12 years ago, Lim Guan Eng held a press conference promising to abolish toll collection at Sungai Nyior if he won the Bagan parliamentary seat. After winning the seat and pressured to keep his promise, the DAP man simply excused himself by claiming he did not hold federal power. Fast forward to today, where he holds the powerful Finance Minister portfolio; ask yourself this, what is his excuse now? 

Could it be all these stem from his party’s trademark of selling beautiful lies to fund their political careers? Think about that.

Till next time.