New toll rates at Johor CIQ have minimal impact on motorists

Communication and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek said of the 60,000 vehicles passing through the complex on both directions daily, only 8,000 were registered in Malaysia.

"It is estimated that 180,000 vehicles use the Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) every day, but only 60,000 of them crossed the Johor Causeway.

"Of that 60,000 vehicles, only 8,000 are Malaysian-registered vehicles, while the rest were registered in Singapore. So, in this regard, we believe that the overall impact of the new toll rates to Malaysian motorists is minimal," he told reporters after visiting the complex and attending a briefing on the implementation of the new toll rates here on Thursday.

Also present were Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin and Johor Baharu Member of Parliament Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad.

Meanwhile, Fadillah said CIQ users who felt that they were unfairly charged because they did not use the EDL should understand that the toll collection was meant to finance the maintenance of all roads linked to the CIQ Complex, including Jalan Lingkaran Dalam and Jalan Tebrau, which had been gazetted as part of EDL link roads.

The new toll rate, which took effect on Aug 1, involved Class 1 to Class 5 vehicles entering and leaving the CIQ Complex.