No Toll Hikes in 2026 As Govt Commits To Absorb Costs

Motorists will get a break next year as the government just announced that toll rates for 10 highway concessions will remain unchanged in 2026. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the federal government will shoulder the financial impact of maintaining current toll charges.

“The Cabinet has agreed that toll rates for ten highway concessions will not be increased next year. The Ministry of Works will provide the full list of highways soon,” Fahmi said during his weekly press briefing.

The decision offers some relief to drivers facing rising living costs, even as the government manages the financial challenges associated with the nation’s privatised highways. 

The highways covered by the toll freeze include: Cheras–Kajang Highway (Grandsaga), Kuala Lumpur–Kuala Selangor Highway (Latar), New North Klang Straits Bypass (NNKSB), Senai–Desaru Expressway (SDE), and East Coast Expressway Phase 2 (LPT2).

They also include South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE), Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge (JSAHMS), Duta–Ulu Kelang Expressway (Duke), Kuala Lumpur–Putrajaya Expressway (Mex), and Butterworth Outer Ring Road (LLB).

Recent figures presented to the Dewan Rakyat showed that while major highways such as PLUS and the LDP are still profitable, 12 out of the 33 concessionaires, including MEX and DASH recorded losses in the last financial year.

Fahmi also noted that the Ministry of Works is reinforcing stricter requirements for future highway projects, including realistic traffic projections and sound financial planning, to ensure long-term sustainability.

Source: MalayMail