Quote from The Star 31 Dec 2006

PEKAN: Vehicle owners will have something to celebrate this New Year - lower road tax.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced yesterday that road tax for all privately-owned cars would be reduced by between 4% and 33%, effective tomorrow.

Based on the rate, owners of passenger cars will only enjoy a reduction of between RM10 to RM30 per year. How will this small amount reduce our burden?

There are already talks about an increase in petrol price in 2007. Rumors have it that it will increase by 50 sen per liter. It has been talked at coffee shops for the past few weeks.

Many Klang Valley residents will be burdened an increase in toll charges in 5 of the expressways starting tomorrow. Take for example, a person who travels from Puchong to Petaling Jaya daily. An increase in 60 sen for the toll means an increase of RM1.20 per day for a return journey. Given he travels 6 days in a week, the increase is approximately RM30 a month or RM360 a year!!! How can we compare RM360 (toll increase) and RM30 (road tax reduction) in a year?

I wish the government is not insulting our intelligence.

Wishing everyone Selamat Hari Raya Qurban.

Former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein was executed just before dawn, Saturday.

Merry Christmas to everyone.

The RM1.60 toll for Damansara Puchong Expressway (LDP) announced by the government effective 1 Jan 2007 is exorbitant and a burden to road users. This expressway which is mainly built (upgraded) on existing routes such as Jalan Damansara, Lebuhraya Petaling Jaya and Jalan Puchong serves as an important route for many Klang Valley residents in their daily chores.

Although Litrak had built and upgraded various interchanges around Kelana Jaya and Puchong recently, much is still left to be done as the expressway is always congested during peak hours due to design flaw with the expressway itself. Litrak should only request for an increase in toll after it solve the traffic problems at the Federal Highway interchange and TTDI interchange.

For the Federal Highway interchange, Litrak should look into the possibility of upgrading the exits to improve traffic flow exiting LDP to the Federal Highway. Meanwhile, for the TTDI interchange, another flyover should be built to carry the main traffic from SS2 to Penchala without having to cross to the left lanes after Damansara Utama underpass, only to cross to the right lanes again after TTDI. It is a bad idea to have the exit to Jalan Damansara (TTDI) located on the right lanes of the expressway.