Tolak EDL

The controversial Eastern Dispersal Link (EDL) highway is schedule to open in the coming months. The total length of the EDL is 8.1km and it starts from Pandan Interchange and ends at the Bandar Sultan Ibrahim Building (JB CIQ).

With the opening of this new expressway, the road users in Johor Bahru and surrounding areas are expected to pay a total of RM30.60 for a return trip to and out of Singapore, a far cry from the current RM2.90 and SGD1.20.

The calculation is as follow:-

Toll Charges per way RM7.65 (RM6.20 + RM1.45)@2 = RM15.30.

As the collection booths are located inside the CIQ building, this means all vehicles going out to Singapore through the JB CIQ (Causeway), will be subjected to this new toll.

Last Friday, the Land Transport Authority of Singapore has further announce that if the Malaysian government were to increase the toll charges for the causeway, the Government of Singapore will follow suit and impose a new rate on par with the new Malaysia’s toll rate.

Effectively, users of the causeway would be subjected to the new toll rate of RM30.60 per return trip and increase of 400% from the current toll rate!

Needless to say this will have a significant impact on all Johoreans that commute daily to Singapore and also the economy of Johor Bahru which relies heavily on the Singaporean that patronizes and conduct businesses here in Johor Bahru.

The cost of construction is around RM1 billion and the Government of Malaysia has granted a 34 years concession to MRCB Bhd.