I had to go to some place in Desa Pandan yesterday afternoon. Of course the road that I used was KESAS Highway. The story I'm about to tell started upon reaching the Toll Gate near Awan Besar. It happened after I handed to the Toll Operator my payment for using that expensive highway - RM 2.20.
Me : "Resit, pliz..."
Toll Operator : "Err, bang, resit takde la..."
Me : "Mcm mana boleh takde pulak...?"
Toll Operator : "Erm, saya TERTEKAN kelas 4.... harga dia lain..."
Me : "Kelas 4???".... (sambil tercari-cari where I could find any clue about Kelas 4...)
Ah, there it is, just right in front of me...
All of the sudden,
Toll Operator : "Bang, nah amik la... saya bagi 'change'" (handing me RM1.10)
Me : (automatically accept the notes with blank expression, shut my window close and bye-bye)
At first, I said to myself, "Hey, at least I pay half, itu sudah Untung..."
Until I realize the actual plot done by the Toll Operator... Damn it, I forgot his name from the name tag!!!
Like what old folk said - Selagi tak kena batang hidung sendiri, selagi itu kita tak sedar.
Now I know that there is some basis of a few allegation towards the Toll Operator. Even one of my friend refuse to work as Toll Operator due to this sinister plot.
Apparently, most of them vowed not to disclose this wrongdoing to other people and unanimously doing it without any guilt.
So how much do the Toll Operator actually earn from this broad day light robbery in their own employer's premises. Let say that every time the Class 1, 2 and 3 pass through the gate and the Operator press the Class 4 for Taxis...
One Car - Class 1 - Loss - $1.10
One Lorry - Class 2 - Loss -$ 2.20
One Lorry - Class 3 - Loss - $3.30
If the Operator manage to get 100 vehicle for every class in a period of 8 working hours a day.
Class 1 $1.10 x 100 = $110
Class 2 $2.20 x 100 = $220
Class 3 $3.30 x 100 = $330
Total = $660.00 per day!
Assuming he/she work for 5 days a week or 22 days a month.
Total = RM 14,520.00 per month
Not including his/her own monthly salary....
Wow!! that's more than 3 times fold of normal engineer's salary.
And that's only for one operator... how about other operators that did the same thing?!
The above calculation may vary for different lanes. I bet that the one who works in Lorry Lane may be doing this and have joyous time for sucking hundreds everyday from this system. Those who stay in normal car lane, might be getting less as he/she can only deduct from Class1 to Class 4 only.
All the above is just my say. My pre-assumption. Not base on actual, except from yesterday short experience. We heard a lot that some make money being toll operator and lived luxuriously, but some suffer due to low wages.
Nevertheless, Kesas was known years ago for having bribery scandal involving the Petrol Station operator. Those days, for example, there are only BP and Caltex near Awan Besar dan Awan Kecil. Now there are Petronas and Shell some more. Yes, the culprit were charged with Bribery, only that he was caught red-handed with concrete proof. How about others??? for instance the toll operator.
Government had to pay the toll company for the toll hike although the toll company keep on making profit.
21. Samy announced in September 2006 that the government paid compensation amounting to RM38.5 billion to 20 highway companies. A RM380 million windfall for 9 toll concessionaires earned solely from the toll hikes in 2008 alone;
Taken from anonymous from forwarded email...
I wonder, if the Toll Company are really "TELUS" in their operation and maintenance cost, while the operator are honest in doing their duty, how much million can be saved and enjoyed by toll company in term of PROFIT.
If the projection is high, there is no need for Government to spend more on subsidy or compensation towards the Toll Company.
If the profit is enough to cover the company's interest, then also, there is no need to increase the toll price anymore....
If just the Toll company can setup a system to prevent their toll operator to manipulate the "classing" system for their own personal benefit.. then the toll company can benefit better from toll collection.
I myself are so disgusted with certain TOLL OPERATOR.
As for the readers, please do your part in preventing this to happen. By hook or by crook, we had to use highways. At least the money we spent for the services, goes to the maintenance and operation of the highways.... not to the selfish operators!
What say you????