Lim said there was no promise on giving toll-free access to the second bridge, as it was only opened four years ago and the total RM4.5 billion was yet to be recouped.
The issue of the two Penang bridges arose when Prime Minister Najib Razak recently announced that motorcyclists can ride free on both bridges if BN swept into power in Penang.
Lim responded to Najib by saying a Pakatan Harapan federal government would guarantee the Penang Bridge to be toll-free to all class of vehicles if the opposition won the upcoming general election (GE14).
“We never said the second Penang bridge would be toll-free, simply because the investment of RM4.5 billion was not recovered. We have done our numbers and homework.
“Those who asked this question, they are clearly not using their brains to talk.
“Even those at the coffee shop or mamak shop will talk more sense than you,” Lim said in a press conference after attending the Vaisakhi Day celebrations at the Wadda Gurdwara here today.
Without mentioning names, Lim was likely referring to Penang BN chairman Teng Chang Yeow who yesterday said Lim’s pledge to make the country toll-free was false.
“This is ridiculous, why suddenly Lim said he wants to abolish Penang Bridge and Sungai Nyior toll (a 50 sen tolled road in Butterworth) but refused to do the same for the second bridge?” Teng had reportedly asked.
Today, Lim said the Penang Bridge should already be toll-free because the toll operators had already collected around RM1.7 billion, and that this meant they had recouped their cost a long time ago.
The Penang Bridge opened in 1985 at a cost of about RM800 million, with another RM586 million spent to expand the bridge from two lanes to three lanes in 2005.
Lim also spoke about how keeping the Penang Bridge toll only meant that the concessionaire would be making even more profit at the people’s expense.
“How can anyone go bankrupt? They can collect tolls until 2038. You can only imagine how the last 10 years have been for them, when they have covered all their expenses.
“Is it fair when you have recouped all your capital investment and your operating costs. Now you are making clean profit only.
“You think the rakyat are blind? Now, they are blindly getting profits because (BN) is blind. But let’s show them on May 9 that we are not blind.”