KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 6): Highway concessionaires will be given two years to finalise their partners to implement the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) toll collection system, said Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan.

This follows the Ministry of Works' presentation of a Cabinet paper on July 25 to determine a new direction for the MLFF implementation model.

“There are two new directions. First, the system will be implemented through a business-to-business (B2B) model, where relevant service providers will be allowed to engage and deal directly with the 33 existing toll highway concessionaires.

“Secondly, the system must not involve any financial implications for the government,” Ahmad Maslan told Parliament on Wednesday during the oral question-and-answer session.

The MLFF system is a barrierless tolling solution that aims to replace booth-based toll collection on 33 highways nationwide using overhead gantries equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) and automated number plate recognition (ANPR) technology.

In 2022, the government appointed a joint venture between Konsortium Jaringan Selangor Sdn Bhd (KJS) and SEP Synergy (M) Sdn Bhd as the central tolling company for the RM3.5 billion barrierless toll system.

However, the Public Accounts Committee later flagged the appointment for potentially conflicting with existing concession agreements that grant exclusive toll collection rights to the highway operators.

KJS, a subsidiary of YTL Power International Bhd (KL:YTLPOWR), holds a 60% stake in the joint venture, while the remaining 40% is owned by SEP Synergy.

On Wednesday, Ahmad Maslan confirmed that the appointment of the KJS-SEP Synergy joint venture had lapsed after it failed to reach an agreement with the highway concessionaires by Dec 16 last year.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the government remains committed to implementing the MLFF system to ensure the comfort and convenience of toll users.

He added that Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas), the highway concession division of Permodalan Nasional Bhd, has already carried out a “proof of concept” trial for the MLFF toll collection system at the Alam Impian Toll Plaza on the Kemuning–Shah Alam Expressway (LKSA).

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