Toll

Apparently Singapore LTA has decided to increase their toll charges at the Causeway because, according to them, Malaysia revised the toll charges at the Causeway and according to their (newly created) matching policy, they are obliged to do so.

So if you are angry, be angry at Malaysia, not at them, because even (an idiot) MP from Johor said so too.

In a statement today, the Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the new rates were in tandem with the republic’s long-standing policy of matching toll charges at the Causeway and Second Link to those set by Malaysia.

“In view of Malaysia’s recent revision in toll charges at the Causeway, from 1 October 2014, Singapore’s toll charges for all vehicles (except motorcycles) leaving Singapore through the Causeway will be increased to match the new Malaysian toll.

“A new matching Causeway toll will also be implemented for all vehicles (except motorcycles) entering Singapore. There are no changes to the toll charges at the Second Link,” the statement read.

Read the rest here at NST and here is a short brief at Berita Harian and here at CNA.

Eh Madam Teo ma'am, I checked with my friend and he told me that as far as he knew the toll remains RM2.90 at the causeway.

This is his message to me "There is no increase in the toll, the toll remain at RM2.90 at the causeway. if Singapore want to go on the matching policy as per said by Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Transport, Josephine Teo, there's no reason to increase."

What is this matching policy crap?  When was this signed?  Which agreement?  I have never heard of this policy and the people I asked told "never heard of such a policy until recently".

You people so hard up for the cash or what?

Or is this some obscure way to punish vehicles using the Causeway, but blaming it on Malaysia instead of owning up?

Eh, what's that?  The new toll at CIQ?

Aiyo, Madam Teo, those charges are for the infrastructure, you know, the routes and the inner ring road leading to CIQ and also for the EDL highway, nothing to do with charging vehicles using the Causeway or entry and exit to and from Singapore.

It is even run by different people.

Somebody has to pay for all that new facilities, you know, why not the people who use the facilities?

Besides, from my point of view, those working in Singapore and not paying taxes to the Malaysian Government shouldn't make noise about paying for such facilities because they pay their taxes in Singapore, so don't expect Malaysian tax payers to pay for their convenience to work in Singapore.

Madam Teo, care to tell me what new infrastructure Singapore built to justify the toll hike and added cost per exit?

Why, you don't have a reason to raise toll, but must blame it on something or someone because Singapore Authorities are so efficient, so good, so wonderful that anything bad must be because of someone else?

Suka-suka hati blame other people for you own cekik darah moves eh?

Just like Malaysian opposition politicians and political activists lah you Singaporean authorities, dump all the dirt at other people's door while you eat all the cake.

This art of blaming the Malaysian Government for everything bad, you learned from our politicians or our politicians learned from you?

Or is this pointing fingers mentality something that they teach at that "School for Classy People" that classy urbanites in Malaysia and Singapore go to?

First World Singapore mentality is not that different from our own brand of political loonies that created the current mess in Selangor after all.