50% toll discount for voters returning to Johor? PLUS says it’s fake news

The state of Johor is having its 15th state election this coming Saturday (12th March 2022), and eligible voters from various parts of the country are expected to make their way to their hometown for the weekend. Recently, there was a purported press release circulating online claiming that PLUS, the concessionaire for the North-South Expressway, is offering 50% off on tolls starting today (11th March) for all highway users who return to Johor to cast their votes. We’ve reached out to PLUS and they have confirmed that the so-called statement is fake and there’s no such discount offered.

The circulated press release carries the PLUS logo but it uses different titles and messages for the Malay and English versions. In the Malay version, it says PLUS is offering the discount to show their gratitude to highway users who are returning home to fulfill their responsibility as part of “Keluarga Malaysia” while the English version said the announcement was made to “intensify its efforts to help lessen the cost of living by playing its role as a Keluarga Malaysia”. These are tell-tale signs that the press release is fake and the announcement is nowhere to be found on any PLUS highway social media channels and website.

PLUS Malaysia Berhad’s Head of Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Syed Mohammed Idid denies issuing such a statement that was shared by Twitter user @apanakdikato. He added that all official statements from PLUS would have been carried by bone fide media channels and will be published on all official PLUS social media platforms. Here’s the official statement from the highway concessionaire:

If you’re going back to Johor via PLUS highway over the weekend, make sure you have reloaded your Touch ‘n Go card and TNG eWallet with sufficient balance before starting your journey.