Caretaker MB: 'Big no' to PJD Link if project resembles scrapped Kidex

The Selangor government will not approve the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway if it finds it to be similar to the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project, which was scrapped in 2015.

This is according to caretaker Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari, who spoke about the proposed highway during an interview with BFM Breakfast Grille producer Wong Shou Ning aired this morning.

“Big no,” he said when asked if the project will go ahead if it is similar to Kidex.

According to Amirudin, the state government has not made any decision on the PJD Link proposal.

The only approval they have given to the concession company was to conduct a study and collect feedback from the public. These include engagement with residents’ associations and conducting social, traffic, and environmental impact assessments.

“Not yet (approved). It is just to give them and allow them to do the study and present back to the state.

“I haven’t made a decision. We have to listen first. Because in the first presentation when they came to us, they definitely addressed Kidex.

“This is more of an extension or some change in their alignment and what we call the architecture of the highway. And they promised they will address all the problems highlighted during Kidex,” he told the interview.

Caretaker Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari

The Kidex expressway was intended to have been a 90 percent elevated expressway and was estimated to cost RM2.42 billion.

It commenced in 2013 but was shut down in 2015 soon after Azmin Ali replaced Khalid Ibrahim as the menteri besar. The state government had found that the concessionaire for the Kidex project had failed to fulfil three conditions set by the state government.

Following this, a proposal was made to develop the PJD Link highway, but several Petaling Jaya residents’ groups have raised concerns that the proposed highway would be a repackaging of the Kidex project.

“That is why we have to listen to it first. We have to see first. Does it really address and then try to tackle all the issues highlighted during Kidex?

“If we are satisfied and we also get the response from the public, then definitely we say yes.

“But if it is just to replicate or rebrand the name, definitely we have to be consistent with our policy and decision in 2015,” Amirudin said. - Mkini