MLFF Won't Fully Solve Highway Congestion - PAC

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has advised the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and the works ministry to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis before proceeding with the RM3.46 billion multi-lane free-flow (MLFF) toll system project, Bernama has reported.

PAC chairman Mas Ermieyati Samsudin stated that the committee had made six recommendations following its procedures on the implementation and management of MLFF, which began in February of last year.

Furthermore, she cautioned that the MLFF toll system, while potentially improving traffic flow, would not entirely resolve the issue of traffic congestion. Her statement suggests that additional measures may be necessary to fully address traffic-related challenges on Malaysian highways. Mas Ermieyati also revealed that Konsortium Jaringan Selangor Sdn Bhd signed the project's appointment agreement (AA) on November 17, 2022. This date fell during the caretaker government period. The move however, was opposed by the Association of Highway Concessionaires Malaysia in 2023 as  high-impact agreements should not have been signed during the tenure of a caretaker government, according to the PAC chairman.

She emphasized that Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia (LLM) and highway concessionaires should prioritize improving the efficiency of toll collection at existing toll plazas. This should be the initial step before embarking on new projects, according to Mas Ermieyati. 

The chairman added that before the AA ended on December 16, 2024, the works ministry should have finished and clarified the MLFF implementation plan and conferred with the public-private partnership unit and the finance ministry to identify the most effective procurement strategy. “Implementation of MLFF must not impose financial burdens on the government or toll users,” she said. The MLFF system is one of the projects under KKR's Intelligent Transport System (ITS) Master Plan 2019–2023, which was initiated to boost road user safety and propel the nation's ITS development.

This system will use a gantry framework equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and automated number plate recognition (ANPR) systems. This barrier-free tolling system eliminates the need for designated booths or lanes, allowing vehicles to pass through without stopping or queuing to pay.