Travel direct between KL and Penang on NSE

TheStar Online (July 11, 2009)

KUALA LUMPUR: Starting Monday, motorists using the North-South Expressway (NSE) between Kuala Lumpur and Penang and vice versa can travel direct without stopping at Ipoh Selatan and Ipoh Utara toll plazas to collect tickets or make payment.

They could travel non-stop between Ipoh Selatan and Jelapang, a distance of 14.7km, said a PLUS Expressway Bhd statement.

Motorists in Ipoh, Tambun, Jelapang, Lumut and the vicinity are advised to use the Ipoh Selatan and Ipoh Utara toll plazas to enter the NSE enroute to Kuala Lumpur and Penang. — Bernama

Government may reduce toll rates

TheStar Online (July 11, 2009)

KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is mulling over a proposal to cut toll rates to ease growing public complaints about rising charges.

A source said the proposal also entailed discounts for heavy users of toll roads in cities and major towns.

This could be modelled along the loyalty programme currently being offered by Litrak, the Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP) operator, which had a 20% rebate for road users paying RM200 or more a month.

The proposal suggested that discounts be offered to users who paid toll five or more times a day, regardless of the daily amount.

However, the source said it was uncertain if concessionaires would be asked to absorb the cost for the discounts or whether they would be compensated.

“The Government undertook a study following complaints of increasing toll charges and the initial finding is that it would be too costly to mount a Government takeover of the companies,” the source said in an interview yesterday.

Malaysia has 22 highway concessionaires, three of which are listed.

There have been public dissatisfaction over the scheduled increase in toll charges, stipulated in the concessionaries’ agreements.

The Government has since declassified the toll agreements for public viewing and had said it would revisit the agreements. — Reuters

Association drops bombshell over cars with natural gas

TheStar Online (July 11, 2009)

PETALING JAYA: Thousands of cars using natural gas may just be “bombs-on-wheels” on the roads.

The warning comes from the Water and Energy Consumers Association of Malaysia (Wecam) whose research found that many motorists subscribed to this “penny wise, pound foolish” mentality by having their gas tanks installed by backyard workshops and unqualified mechanics.

Wecam secretary-general S. Piarapakaran said these motorists compromised on safety and settled for cheap materials and shoddy workmanship.

“They were found to have patronised backyard workshops and unauthorised mechanics for the installation of gas tanks in their vehicles.

“Since the gas is highly inflammable, poorly fixed gas tanks with leaking rubber hose could easily explode during a collision,” he said.

He said there was no competent body in the country to monitor natural gas vehicles (NGVs).

“Imagine the damage to the environment and loss of lives if the vehicles are plying busy highways,” he said yesterday.

Piarapakaran suggested that the police and Road Transport Department should get assistance from Sirim and other organisations to keep tabs on NGVs.

The association also said that there would be regular checks and enforcement of safety features in NGVs, use of genuine parts and reduction in the cost of installing tanks by authorised dealers. — Bernama

Driver killed in NGV blast

TheStar Online (July 5, 2009)

SUBANG JAYA: An NGV-powered Proton Waja exploded in the car park at an apartment in Serdang Jaya yesterday, killing its driver and destroying three other vehicles.

K. Mailvaganan, 43, was found slumped in the front seat of the car at about 6.45am by police officers who were alerted to an explosion at Skyvilla Apartments.

It is learnt that Mailvaganan, a limousine driver, might have fallen asleep inside the car with the engine running.

A security guard at the apartment said he heard the loud explosion before seeing a cloud of black smoke from one of the CCTV images.

Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar said that based on initial police investigations, there was no element of foul play.

Complete wrecks: Mailvaganan’s car (right) and two other cars that were destroyed after his NGV-powered vehicle exploded yesterday.


“Nevertheless, we are still waiting for the post mortem result from Serdang Hospital before determining the cause of death,” he said.


He urged anyone with information on the incident to contact the nearest police station to assist in investigations.

Oil prices near US$72, a new high for this year

TheStar Online (June 11, 2009)

HOUSTON: Oil prices surged again Wednesday to a new high for the year with investors pouring money into crude markets as a hedge against inflation.

Adding to crude's advance was new government data that showed an uptick in U.S. demand for gasoline, yet given how much cheaper gas is compared to last year, the recession is clearly taking a toll on consumers and businesses.

Benchmark crude for July delivery rose $1.32 to settle at $71.33 a barrel in trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange after earlier touching $71.79.

It was the second time in as many days that crude hit new heights this year at the close.

As U.S. currency has lost value over the past several months, crude prices have doubled largely from the influx of cash from Wall Street.

Investors have used oil and other commodities as a hedge against a weak dollar.

The most recent government reports show that investors who are not buying and selling oil for commercial purposes, such as airlines who hedge energy costs, have entered the market and are betting crude oil is going to rise.

Equity markets have rebounded on the belief that the worst of the recession is over and that has helped pull energy prices higher, said Jim Ritterbusch, president of energy consultancy Ritterbusch and Associates.

"That kind of economic optimism easily feeds into expectations that oil demand will be coming back sooner than expected," Ritterbusch said.

Crude and gasoline held in U.S. storage facilities tumbled last week, the government reported Wednesday, as Americans took to the road for the summer driving season.

But the country is still flush with gasoline and oil, and it's the weak dollar that has driven crude prices higher for weeks.

The Energy Department's Energy Information Administration said Tuesday that crude prices will likely average $67 a barrel in the second half of 2009, about $16 higher than the first six months of the year.

A month ago, the EIA's price-per-barrel forecast for the second half of 2009 was $55.

The EIA also predicted consumers will be paying $2.70 for a gallon of gasoline by July before prices level off.

In other Nymex trading, gasoline rose by 4.86 cents to settle at $2.0153 a gallon while heating oil settled at $1.8326 a gallon - up 2.5 cents. Natural gas for July delivery fell 2.3 cents to $3.708 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In London, Brent prices rose in tandem with Nymex crude, gaining $1.11 cents to $70.73 a barrel on the ICE Futures exchange.

Trader and analyst Stephen Schork noted that "for the thirteenth time in the last 15 sessions, London crude for July delivery posted a new year-to-date high." - AP