Anwar said that companies bidding for the project would go through the usual process and that there was no basis to assume that it would be carried out via direct negotiations.

“It will be a proper process that is transparent and we have made that clear,” he told reporters outside the Kota Damansara mosque, here.

The MLFF system will convert all exit and entry points on the highways into barrier-free lanes to reduce congestion and ease traffic flow.

Meanwhile, Anwar also said the government will review a controversial MLFF agreement costing RM3.46 billion between the previous administration and a YTL Holdings Bhd subsidiary.

“We will have to relook at the whole process to examine whether it adhered to all the guidelines (of open tender).”

On Dec 5, FMT reported that the agreement was criticised by 32 highway toll concessionaires as “monopolistic and overpriced”.

According to a source in the know, the Barisan Nasional-Perikatan Nasional caretaker government and the private company signed an “appointment agreement” on Nov 17, 2022, thus awarding the multi-billion ringgit project without consulting the concessionaires who will eventually foot the bill.

The source added that the Association of Highway Concessionaires Malaysia (PSKLM) had sent an objection letter to the works ministry, alleging that the move violated their respective agreements with the government.

PSKLM also voiced their concerns over the estimated costs of RM3.46 billion, as they said it can be cut by 30% if the individual companies are allowed to build and implement the MLFF system by themselves.