This is the third cut in toll rate announced by the prime minister since he tabled Budget 2011 proposals last year.
Najib made the announcement at the Chap Goh Meh celebration in Taman Datuk Hormat, Petaling Jaya, a suburb in Pakatan Rakyat-held Selangor.
“Because today is a special day, I would like to present a Chinese New Year gift to the people here,” he began when addressing the crowd.
He had announced on January 28 that there would be no increase in toll for the next five years at the Karak and East Coast Phase One highways.
The prime minister also said the toll for the East-West link highway at the Salak and Taman Connaught interchange in Kuala Lumpur was expected to be abolished in May.
Najib had announced toll rates at PLUS expressways would be frozen for five years when tabling the Budget 2011 last year.
Analysts said this was the clearest sign of possible snap polls this year.
Later in the event, Najib expressed hope that residents in turn would deliver support to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) “when the time comes”.
“We will also present ‘ang pau’ (traditional Chinese New Year gift packets) for the people. When we talk about ‘ang pau’, everyone is interested to receive them; even I am interested to do so, but my ‘ang pau’ will be in terms of support for the BN when the time comes,” he said.
He added that the government will not waste taxpayer’s money, which he said was unlike the opposition.
“We do not waste time, fight unnecessarily or leave the party. We do not have unnecessary special state assembly sittings because we know there is no benefit from it.
“This is not something that will benefit the people, this is a waste of time and merely for their own political benefits,” he said.
Speculation is rife that Najib will call for snap polls before the year is out, although the current federal administration term does not expire until 2013.
