KUANTAN: Silence is golden, but not in the case involving the construction of a purported toll gantry near Jalan Gohtong Jaya heading towards popular hilltop resort Genting Highlands in Bentong.
It is surprising there has been deafening silence on the part of the Pahang government on the matter which seems to have taken many by surprise including the state executive council members.
State Consumer Affairs and Human Resources Committee chairman Sim Chon Siang said he will raise the matter during the state executive council(exco) meeting this week, hoping to clear the air on the alleged toll plaza.
"Nothing on the toll plaza in Genting (Highlands) was ever discussed in the weekly exco meeting since I became part of the state administration," he said when contacted.
Meanwhile, Ketari assemblyman Thomas Su Keong Siong said he has written to the Pahang State Secretary's office to furnish details on the proposed toll plaza.
"I have been closely monitoring the matter and have been in contact with the Bentong Municipal Council for details. I have sent letters and emails to the state secretary's office to get more information about the proposed toll project," he said.
Meanwhile Bentong Municipal Council(MPB) president Datuk Rose Samsul Abdul Razak said construction works at the site near Gohtong Jaya will be allowed to resume if the relevant party resubmits all the documents.
"If they (developer) complies to the conditions and meets the requirements for the development order then there should be no issues. However, to date they have not resubmitted anything.
"MPB is the local authority in-charge for the construction works including the proposed toll booths and the approval to collect toll charges is not for us to decide," he said.
On Oct 19, it was reported that motorists travelling to Genting Highlands would soon have to pay toll charges and Lingkaran Cekap Sdn Bhd, which is in charge of maintaining the roadworks in Genting, would manage the toll's operations. However, the report made heads turn.
The following day, an MPB source said a stop work order was issued on Wed 18 after the developer did not comply to the conditions from the local authorities before works began at the site
Yesterday, Bentong member of parliament Young Syefura Othman said the federal government were not been informed about the toll project as the Works Ministry and the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) were clueless over the matter.
MHA chairman Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias was quoted saying that since the construction was carried out on private land, the relevant parties might not have felt the need to submit applications to the Pahang government, Works Ministry or MHA.
