THE Public Accounts Committee yesterday suggested that the government buy all the equity in Plus Expressway Bhd to avoid a hike in toll rates.

Its chairman, Datuk Shahrir Abdul Samad, said the government would render the concession agreement, which requires the government to compensate the concessionaires of toll was not increased, void.

"With the concession agreement void, there will be no hike in toll rates.

"The toll collection can be used for the maintenance of the highways and expressways," he said after launching a blood donation campaign organized by the Red Crescent Society in Johor Baru yesterday.

Shahrir said with Plus becoming a public asset, the duration of the loan repayment to the banks could also be extended.

He was responding to a statement by Work Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu in the in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday saying the government would have to pay compensation of RM380 million to the toll concessionaires if they were not allowed to increase the toll rates next year.

The concessionaires are for the Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway (RM 28 million), Elite Expressway (RM18 million), North-South Expressway (RM178 million), Kulim-Butterworth Expressway (RM10 million), Second link to Singapore (RM6 million), West Kuala Lumpur Expressway (RM34 million), New Klang Valley Expressway (RM9 million) and the Penang Bridge (RM22 million). 

The last toll hike was in January for the Damansara-Puchong Highway, Shah Alam Expressway, Cheras-Kajang Highway, Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway and Guthrie Corridor Expressway by between 30 sen to Rm1.