PENANG, March 6 (Bernama) -- For the past 23 years, the state government has managed to convince the Federal Government to maintain the Penang Bridge toll rate at RM7 per entry.

Outgoing chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said that while the rate was supposed to increase by two percent every five years after it was privatised in 1993, the state government managed to stop prevent that.

He said that under the toll concession agreement, there were supposed to be two toll hikes, one in 1998 (Asian financial crisis and outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and another in 2001 (Sept 11 terrorist attack on the United States).

"As those (incidents) affected tourism in Penang, the Federal Government wanted to increase the toll rate for the Penang Bridge.

"However, I lobbied very hard for the rates not to be increased," Koh told a press conference here today.

He said this when asked to comment on a United Engineers (Malaysia) Berhad (UEM) proposal to the Economic Planning Unit on a toll hike.

"It was just a proposal submitted by UEM...every proposal must be approved by the state government," he said, while denying opposition claims that the toll was expected to be increased.

Built in 1985, the 13km bridge linking Georgetown to Seberang Jaya was privatise in 1993, with an agreement on an increase of five percent in toll rate every five years.

"We will continue to assess the situation and fight for the people of Penang," said Koh, adding that they would continue to convince the Federal Government not to increase the Penang Bridge toll.