Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) urged the government to abolish the Gombak and Karak tolls to reduce traffic congestion on the highway.

According to him, users need to stop at four toll plazas to use the East Coast Highway (LPT).

“For example, on the east coast highway, we have four tolls where users have to stop. The Gombak Toll, the Bentong Toll, the Karak Toll and the exit. As for easing the burden on users, the government should use two methods. Only when entering and exiting.

“(As such) two tolls need to be abolished. The Gombak toll and the Karak toll do not need to be held because they cause slow traffic and congestion,” he said during the royal decree debate session.

Commenting further, Tuan Ibrahim who is also the Leader of the Pahang State Opposition and Deputy President of PAS claimed that highway congestion is now one of the failures of the ministry and operators.

“I see this as a failure on the part of the ministry and the operators who operate the highway. Highway congestion is extreme and occurs throughout the country, especially in toll plaza areas,” he said.

In the meantime, he also urged the government to ensure that there is no road repair or patching work during peak hours.

“Yesterday I came back from Kota Bharu. Concession workers are repairing the highway over the bridge in the highway area in Kemaman. There are many cars during peak hours and yet they chose to repair the patch on the bridge. This should not happen and we ask the government to make sure there is no road repairs at peak user times which cause extreme congestion,” he said.