Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said that he did not agree with the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto which pledged toll-free highways, according to Bernama.

Mahathir was speaking to reporters at the end of Asean Leaders' Gathering in Bali.

Manifesto a "big  burden"

Speaking about the manifesto and toll-free roads, he said: "We made the manifesto thinking we would not be the government. Now we are the government and this manifesto is a big burden... but, at that time, I was against it la. I know, to have a freeway... you cannot. The only way to have freeways and no toll is to raise the price of petrol."

No to taxing petrol prices

Mahathir said that as funds were needed to maintain and build roads, toll money was needed.

He noted that the English taxed petrol to earn revenue, but when petrol prices increased, tax increases even more.

He said using petrol tax to maintain highways was unfair to people who did not use them.

Mixed reactions from Malaysians

Some Malaysians felt aggrieved by the backtracking:

While others agreed with Mahathir's rationale but wanted tolls to be reduced:

Singaporeans suddenly talk about the opposition

Singaporeans then drew links between Mahathir's comments and the pitfalls of voting for the opposition:

PH won a watershed election earlier in May this year against the incumbent Barisan Nasional, which had been in power for more than half a century.

The previous prime minister, Najib Razak, is currently charged for corruption in relation to the 1MDB scandal.

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Top image from Mahathir Mohamad's Facebook page