Residents to proceed with judicial review for PJD Link documents

Residents behind a legal action linked to the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway will proceed with an ongoing judicial review over the authorities’ alleged refusal to hand over the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and other documents linked to the now cancelled project.

Sustainable PJ Association president T Chakaravathi said while the group welcomes the cancellation of the project, there's still a need to disclose the documents and all others related to any similar large-scale developments in future.

"As the concession agreement signed by the federal government and impact assessments have still not been disclosed to the public, the judicial review applications for these documents will continue.

"The public is still welcome to contribute to the society to support this effort and to ensure a sustainable PJ," he said in a statement today.

On July 10, the Kuala Lumpur High Court granted leave for the residents to commence their judicial review, with a separate date to be set to hear parties’ oral submissions over the merits of the legal action.

Earlier on June 7, four Petaling Jaya residents filed a legal action that named four respondents - the Town and Country Planning Department (PlanMalaysia) director-general, the director of PlanMalaysia Selangor, the Selangor state government, and the federal government - over an alleged refusal by the authorities to abide by a seven-day ultimatum to hand over the project’s documents.

Chakaravathi said while the association welcomed the project's cancellation announced by caretaker Selangor menteri besar Amirudin Shari, Petaling Jaya is still at risk of similar developments in future, with inadequate systems and structures required to ensure sustainable development.

"The people have spent years and much time and effort writing letters, holding protests, meetings, and working tirelessly to highlight the detrimental impact of this highway.

"Not just to individual lives, but to the prospect of PJ as a green city, served well by public transport," he said.

"So much anxiety has been generated by this project and we strongly call on the government to commit to rejecting all future urban tolled elevated highways, passing through mature neighbourhoods," he added.

Public transport master plan

Rather than pursue the construction of new highways as means to reduce congestion, the association called on the government to develop a public transport master plan for Petaling Jaya, addressing issues of last-mile connectivity and fulfilling the vision for a more walkable, cyclable and sustainable city.

Chakaravathi also urged for better public consultation in the initial approval processes, aside from all such projects should only be awarded through open tender.

Amirudin previously said the PJD Link project was cancelled as the administration was not satisfied with the submitted plan, particularly with the social impact assessment report.

The proposed 25.4km PJD Link was meant to connect the Sprint highway in Damansara to the Bukit Jalil highway in Bandar Kinrara. - Mkini