This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 10, 2025 - November 16, 2025

THE Ministry of Works has said that the government is not involved in the appointment process for the multi-lane free flow (MLFF) toll collection system, emphasising that highway concessionaires have full discretion in choosing their partners.

The ministry told The Edge last Thursday that the MLFF will be implemented entirely on a business-to-business basis, with no financial burden on government coffers. The ministry noted that this decision was made during a Cabinet meeting on July 25.

It clarified that it did not issue a request for proposal to select a company or consortium for the MLFF implementation project. The statement was made in response to The Edge’s article titled “Six bidders said to be vying for multi-lane free flow toll collection system contract”, published on Nov 3.

It is understood that the government will issue guidelines for concessionaires to follow, to ensure a degree of consistency across MLFF systems for the convenience of road users. In August, Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan stated that highway concessionaires have two years to finalise their partners to implement the MLFF system.

The MLFF system is a barrierless tolling solution designed to replace booth-based toll collection on 33 highways nationwide, using overhead gantries equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) and automated number plate recognition 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 system. However, the Public Accounts Committee later raised concerns that the appointment could conflict with existing concession agreements that grant exclusive toll collection rights to highway operators.

Earlier this year, Ahmad Maslan confirmed that the appointment of the KJS-SEP Synergy joint venture had lapsed after it failed to reach an agreement with highway concessionaires by Dec 16, 2024.

Projek Lintasan Kota Holdings Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) has clarified that it is not involved in the MLFF bidding process and has no collaboration or partnership with Touch ’n Go Sdn Bhd. The highway operator’s role was limited to allowing Touch ’n Go to conduct a proof of concept at Lebuhraya Kemuning–Shah Alam (LKSA) purely for testing purposes, without any endorsement or participation.

Meanwhile, IJM Corp Bhd (KL:IJM) says it has not engaged with any of the parties eyeing the MLFF project. 

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