WORKS Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the highway toll rates would not be increased until a study by seven concessionaires was completed and presented to the Cabinet.

"We will not increase the toll rates by Jan 1 next year until we get Cabinet approval," he said yesterday.

He said all information on the toll was being compiled, and when completed, would be handed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for their advice and views before being presented before the Cabinet.

THE proposal to ban high- powered motorcycles on the North-South Highway by Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu received a mixed reaction from the public.

When The Malay Mail conducted a street poll yesterday, some supported the proposal saying that superbikes were a menace on the highways. Others said superbikes are supposed to run at high speed on the highways.

Samy Vellu was quoted as saying that the move is necessary as the motorcyclists endangered the lives of other highway users.

Here are the their views:

WILL the upgrading work carried our on certain stretches of the North-South Expressway be completed before Hari raya?.

That's the main concern of BASRI from Kuala Lumpur.

"My friend and I traveled from Air Keroh to Johor Baru. The massive upgraded along the way is slowing the traffic to a crawl," he says.

"The upgrading work does not seem like it is going to be completed before Hari Raya."

BASRI says it is unacceptable that Plus is carrying out its road expansion work so  close to the festive season.

KONGRES Kesatuan Sekerja Malaysia (MTUC) berharap kerajaan dapat memastikan kadar tol di semua lebuh raya tidak akan dinaikkan pada tahun depan bagi mengelakkan beban kawangan kepada golongan perkerja di negara ini.

Presiden MTUC Syed Shahir Syed Mohamad berkata, sebarang kelulusan untuk kenaikan kadar tol lebuh raya akan menyebabkan berlakunya rantaian kenaikan barangan keperluan, perkhidmatan dan pengangkutan. 

PETALING JAYA: Bikers are revving up clouds of disapproval at Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu?s proposal to ban big bikes from expressways. 

Samy Vellu made the suggestion after seeing four high-powered motorcycles going at 170kph on two lanes of a stretch of the North-South Expressway on Sunday. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu?s suggestion to ban high capacity motorcycles on highways was strongly opposed by motorcycling associations yesterday.

Superbikers' Club Malaysia president Lt-Gen (Rtd) Tan Sri Mohamad Ngah said that by forcing motorcyclists off the highways and onto trunk roads, there was a possibility that even more accidents would occur.

"If they don't allow the use of superbikes on highways, even more motorcyclists will be involved in accidents. Highways are much safer.

Kadar bayaran tol di semua lebuh raya tidak akan dinaikan selagi kajian mengenai cadangan kenaikan  membabitkan tujuh pemegang konsesi belum diserahkan kepada  Kabinet.

Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu berkata, kadar bayaran tol di semua lebuh raya  tidak akan dinaikkan selagi kajian mengenai cadangan kenaikan membabitkan tujuh pemegang konsesi belum diserahkan kepada Kabinet.

"Kita tidak akan menaikkan kadar tol walaupun kadar tol  walaupun selepas 1 Januari depan selagi belum dapat kelulusan jemaah menteri," katanya.

SUNGAI BULOH: Kadar tol di semua lebuh raya tidak akan dinaikkan selagi kajian mengenai cadangan kenaikan membabitkan tujuh pemegang konsesi belum diserahkan kepada Kabinet, Menteri Kerja Raya, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu. 

"Kita tidak akan menaikkan kadar tol walaupun selepas 1 Januari depan selagi belum dapat kelulusan Jemaah Menteri," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Kempen Keselamatan Jalan Raya di kawasan Rehat dan Rawat (R&R) Restoran Jejantas Sungai Buloh, di sini semalam. 

KUALA LUMPUR- The Public Works Department (PWD) will be working with road safety related enforcement agencies from Oct 7 to 20 to help reduce accidents on the North-South Expressway (NSE) and all its highways.

Work Minister Datuk seri S. Samy Vellu said the department?s patrolling teams will not only monitor the highway?s road condition but also help to report road accidents and monitor the traffic flow.

KUALA LUMPUR: Negligence is the most likely cause of the collapse of eight concrete beams of an uncompleted flyover along the Kajang-Seremban Highway (Kaseh), near Pajam, last Thursday. 

Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said this was the finding of the investigations by the Malaysian Highway Authority and several other agencies.

"We understand there was general negligence on the part of the project contractor, IJM, when the accident took place at night.