KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 19): The government may allow highway concessionaires to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to implement the RM3.46 billion multi-lane free flow (MLFF) project following the lapse of the deadline for KJS-SEP Synergy to reach an agreement with concessionaires on the system's rollout.
An RFP is a business document that announces a project, outlines its scope, and invites qualified contractors to submit bids for its completion.
Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan said the government intends to proceed with an RFP if the MLFF project continues.
"However, all 33 concessionaires must agree to adopt the RFP. There is also a possibility that the RFP will not be issued by the government but by the concessionaires themselves," he told the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday.
He added that other options for the MLFF project are also being considered, with the final decision now in the hands of the Cabinet.
"We have received feedback from the Transport Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Attorney General's Chambers, and we are still awaiting input from the Public-Private Partnership Unit (UKAS). The Cabinet paper will be presented soon," he said.
The proposed MLFF system, estimated to cost RM3.46 billion, aims to replace the current toll booths on 33 highways nationwide with overhead gantries using radio-frequency identification (RFID) and an automated number plate recognition system.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in a report released on Tuesday, stated that KJS-SEP Synergy’s appointment for the MLFF project ended on Dec 16, 2024, at no cost to the government.
KJS-SEP Synergy, a joint venture (JV) between Konsortium Jaringan Selangor Sdn Bhd (KJS) and SEP Synergy (M) Sdn Bhd, had been working to introduce the system since early 2021.
KJS, a wholly-owned subsidiary of YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), holds a 60% stake in the JV, while Bumiputera-owned SEP Synergy holds the remaining 40%.
PLUS' MLFF trial runs
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, Ahmad Maslan noted that PLUS Expressways Bhd’s upcoming MLFF trial runs are its "own initiative".
He said that highway concessionaires have the right to develop their own MLFF systems following the lapse of KJS-SEP Synergy’s appointment.
However, he stressed that any such development would still be subject to the final decision from the Cabinet.
The Edge Malaysia weekly, in its Feb 3-9, 2025 edition, reported that highway concessionaires, led by PLUS, are developing their own MLFF systems amid proposals from non-concessionaire companies to introduce their own solutions.
PLUS, the country’s largest highway operator, is expected to begin MLFF trials by April, while Amanah Lebuhraya Rakyat is also likely to conduct pilot runs, according to industry sources.
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