KUALA LUMPUR: The toll concessions takeover may cost less than the RM400 billion projected by the previous government, said a Ministry of Finance Special Officer Tony Pua.
“The RM400 billion figure was being tossed around by the previous government by taking into account the compensation to be paid to the toll concessionaires which includes future gains,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby today.
Pua, who is also Member of Parliament for Damansara, said that if the Pakatan Harapan government were to take over the toll concessions, even though it had yet to be planned, it would only pay the compensation based on the rates stipulated in the contract.
“We will only pay the compensation based on the contract rate, that is the construction cost of the highways. We have to do the calculation again, and it will not include future profits,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pua denied that the government was considering imposing a soda tax on soda drinks like Coca-Cola.
“No, that is one of my options. The government is considering all options to increase the tax revenue, but nothing has been decided yet,” he said, quashing a news portal report which quoted him as saying that the government was considering implementing new taxes, including soda tax.--BERNAMA