I Toll You So…

I have not been following the ‘Toll increase next year” story as I’ve been quite busy with work recently. Not to mention my spotty internet connection making it harder for me to read the news. Normally, while sitting on my man-throne every morning, I can read quite a number of articles, now, I can only read a select few.

So, I’ve been catching up with some news today, and yes, it’s about the increase in highway toll. There have been a lot of people saying that Govt have made an announcement on this, searched the web for a few minutes, I still can’t find anything concrete about the announcement. Bernama carries this article…

The article did not mention any official announcement being made except the fact that while answering some question from the reporters on the toll hikes, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid said it’s unavoidable since (1) it’s in the contract and (2) govt already postpone the increase in 2011 so second postponement would really cost the govt lots of money…millions!

The piece of news also mention that Works Minister saying more-or-less the same thing, that the rates are due to be revised next year as per the contracts with the concessionaires.

Because of these two nice gentlemen, all hell breaks loose. Both sides of theParliament saying things, the Opposition are having a party…again. On a side note, there have been far too many parties over at the Opposition sides nowadays. Facebook and Twitter are a blazin’ and so do messaging apps across Whatapps and WeChat and Line and whatever means of communications one can think.

All of them are saying, one thing, “Datuk Seri Najib and the Gomen sucks”. “Everything oso increase and the latest one is the highway toll”.

Fast forward a day or two, we have Dato’ Seri Anwar and Tan Sri Abdul Khalid coming out, telling all and sundry, “Kita mengarahkan ahli lembaga pengarah dalam PKNS untuk membuat beberapa cadangan meminta syarikat konsesi tidak menaikkan kadar tol tersebut demi menjaga kepentingan rakyat”

Yup, even when there is no final decision yet on toll hikes, no official announcement what so ever that toll rates will increase, heck, even the toll concessionaires haven’t received any notification from the Govt on toll hikes. Basically, they are putting a stop to something that’s not even started. Better yet, it’s like stopping a train that’s not only not going to move, in fact the train is not even there! See the article on The Star, “

So, the Facebook and Twitter are again a blazin’ with posts and honouring Selangor Govt. efforts. Dato’ Seri Anwar post on this has garnered more than 7500 likes and almost 500 shares within about an hour.

Why am I writing all these? I don’t know, perhaps because I’m appalled at all the stupidity in this. Don’t the Ministers, in this case, Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid and also Datuk Fadilah know that talk of any increase in price be it the highway toll or the bloody Nasi Lemak at Kak Izzah’s stall is bloody sensitive? A simple mention of it will turn into National news, not to mention Facebook and Twitter will be a blazin’ with this news and people will start to spin it like gasing sampai berlubang lantai. Wahid was the CEO of Maybank for cry in’ out loud. Takkan tak reti2 jugak?

Not only are the Rakyat angry at you Mr Gomen, the opposition are hitching this train like no body business while you Mr Gomen, are left back there at the station.

Anyway, I’ve been telling many people, in fact people have been telling many people, that the PM needs to surround himself with people that are brilliant enough to help him steer this ship called Malaysia. So if the PM were to ask my opinion of this…I’m just going to say….I toll you so…