Diaspora refers to Jews only

13Friday

January 09, 2007 21:11 PM

Cabinet Nod Needed For Release Of Details
From S. Retna

NEW DELHI, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The cabinet has to give the green light for highway concessionaires to reveal details of toll collection and the volume of traffic using their highways, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said today.

"I will bring it up to the cabinet on whether we can allow highway concessionaires to release these figures. If the cabinet agrees, then we will ask the companies involved to come out with the details," he said.

He told reporters this after presenting a paper on the final day of the three-day 5th Pravasi Bharativa Divas, a congregation of people of Indian origin living abroad.

Samy Vellu, who is leading a 120-member Malaysian delegation to the annual conference, dubbed the Indian Diaspora Conference, was asked to comment on former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's call yesterday for highway concessionaires to reveal their toll collection to address the people's dissatisfaction over the recent toll hike.

The government had allowed five concessionaires in and around the Klang Valley to increase their toll rates from 30 per cent to 70 per cent starting Jan 1 this year.

Since then, there has been mounting pressure from several quarters, mainly opposition parties and non-governmental organisations, on the government to review the increase.

-- BERNAMA