Appeal to abolish Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza

YAB Dato` Seri Abdullah Bin Haji Ahmad Badawi
Prime Minister of Malaysia

Memorandum:Appeal to abolish Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza

We hereby resolve to appeal to abolish the Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza built on an existing road that had been used free of charge for past more than 10 years.

We oppose the Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza and ask for a delay in the starting of toll collection at Sungai Nyior, before any good solution are found to the peoples` satisfactory.

Our objection are based on the following considerations:

1.There has been persistent opposition to the toll collection from the public,which lead to a request from residents from Prai and Southern Kedah for a meeting with the State Government; The toll collection should be delayed pending outcome from the meeting;

2. The toll plaza would be built along a non-toll road and this had become controversial; According to our understanding the road concerned originally has been part of the Butterworth-Kulim expressway and had been open to traffic for over 10 years. To collect toll on an originally non-toll roag is unreasonable and unfair, besides being an economic burden to road users in Prai and southern Kedah;

3. The setting up of toll collection at Sungai Nyior lack transparency,causing residents to be unable to access relevant information, un-informed and to start making queries. The people's representatives within this area had also raised objection to the toll collection and request the relevant authority to heed public opinions;

4. The action committee, together with residents in Prai and southern Kedah, had approved a resolution on Feb 11th 2007 at a public meeting held in a basketball court in Hungry Ghost Festival Association premise, at Zone A Seberang Jaya, unanimously request the government to pay attention to the sentiments of the people, make a full disclosure of the the entire process, and to delay the commencement of the toll collection,with the ultimate aim to abolish the toll collection all together.

We estimated about 300,000 peoples from all walks of life are affected by Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza that included peoples using the road lead to ferry and train station.

The area affected are mainly Prai Utara-Raja Uda,Mak Mandin,Bagan Dalam,Butterworth,Seberang Jaya,Jalan Permatang Pauh,Jalan Baru,Bandar Perda and Bukit Tengah.

Other traffic users affected included are from Kulim,Lunas,Bukit Mertajam,Kepala Batas,Sungai Dua,Tasik Gelugor and so on.

The industry are affected in Seberang Prai are Mak Mandin Indust ry Area(500 acres),Sungay Nyior Industry Area(150 acres),and Prai Industry Area(3,000 acres).The Kulim Hi-tech Park in Kulim are also affected.

We hope YAB will take considerations to abolish the Sungai Nyior Toll Plaza for the sake of the peoples.

Your kind attentions are very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Anti-Sungai Nyior Highway Toll Collection Alliance