PUTRAJAYA: The Cabinet had discussed the declassifying of toll concession agreements "a couple of meetings ago," Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

He declined to elaborate on the matter, saying he would get Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed to make a statement.

Mohd Zin, who was in Johor Baru for a function, refused to speak to reporters.

An aide said he was scheduled to speak to the press today but did not mention what it was about.

Najib was asked to comment on a newspaper report quoting sources that the Government had declassified toll concession agreements.

"Was it reported in the papers" I think I will ask the minister to make a statement to make sure it is technically correct," he told reporters after presenting the Felda Youth Awards 2008 yesterday.

Asked if the issue was ever discussed by the Cabinet, he said:

"Yes, it was. (During) a couple of Cabinet meetings ago,"

Among the highway concessionaires are PLUS Expressways Bhd, Penang Bridge Sdn Bhd, Besraya (M) Sdn Bhd, Grand Saga Sdn Bhd, Kesas Sdn Bhd, Lingkaran Transkota Sdn Bhd, New Pantai Expressway Sdn Bhd, Konsortium Lebuhraya Butterworth-Kulim Sdn Bhd and Sistem Lingkaran Lebuhraya Kajang Sdn Bhd.

The report had stated that the Government's decision was based on the fact that it felt the public had an inherent right to know where and how their tax monies were being used and the non-disclosure clauses had been widely interpreted to mean that the contracts are skewed to favour concession companies.

Although the agreements no longer fall under the Official Secrets Act, a non-disclosure clause in the agreements prevents them from being made public.