PKR MP flays Selangor govt for 'approving in principle' PJ tolled highway

 

PKR's Selayang MP William Leong has criticised the Selangor government for "approving in principle" the proposed tolled Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) Highway.

Leong (above) noted that while conditions have been imposed on the project before it can proceed, it didn't change the fact that it would be in violation of Pakatan Harapan's position against tolled highways.

"The imposition of conditions for the concessionaire to fulfil does not detract from the fact that the state government has committed a breach of its election manifesto.

"The Selangor Harapan government is bound by the promise to abolish toll highways," he said in a statement.

Leong was responding to Selangor exco Izham Hashim who confirmed that the state exco had on Sept 30 last year "agreed in principle" to set conditions under which the PJD Link project can be implemented.

Izham, who is in charge of state infrastructure and public facilities, was responding to a question raised by Bukit Gasing assemblyperson R Rajiv.

"The conditional approval for the PJD Link means the Selangor people, in particular the Petaling Jaya residents and businesses, are called upon once again to incur time, energy and money to challenge the environmental impact assessment and the social impact assessment to stop the highway project.

"This conditional approval defeats the very purpose of the election promise.

"By voting in a Harapan government, this was to be a reassurance that the Selangor people shall be spared the anxieties, efforts and expenditure required in raising objections to highways such as what they had to go through with the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex)," he said.

The Kidex was "approved in principle" in 2011 and a concession agreement was signed in 2013. However, it was scrapped in 2015 following sustained objections from residents in Petaling Jaya where the highway will be cut through.

The PJD Link is an attempt to revive the Kidex project.

Leong said the conditions imposed for the latest PJD Link project to engage with residents living along the alignment was a "mere public relations exercise".

"Based on previous experience, the residents’ objections are not taken into serious consideration.

"The condition is deemed fulfilled in holding the meeting regardless of the objections raised in the meeting," he said.

Leong called on the Selangor government to review the conditional approval for the PJD Link project.

"Otherwise, the Selangor people will hold Harapan accountable when the next elections come," he said.

The Harapan-led Selangor government is helmed by Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari, who is from PKR. - Mkini