Govt has to pay RM100m for cancelling PJD Link - Bersatu rep

 

The government allegedly has to pay RM100 million in compensation to the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link Expressway) developer following the discontinuation of the highway project.

Taman Medan assemblyperson Dr Afif Bahardin said it would be unfortunate if the government has to compensate the developer if the highway was scrapped.

According to his understanding, the developer, PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd (PJD Link), could claim damages from the government, he said.

“I understand that the developer can claim almost RM100 million from the federal government. Who will pay the RM100 million?

“Our taxpayers’ money, our money, the people’s money will be used to pay compensation to the developer because its project got cancelled and was not immediately built.

“The people will get nothing and the government’s debt will increase,” he said in a post on TikTok.

The Bersatu assemblyperson was responding to Petaling Jaya assemblyperson Lee Chen Chung’s claim that the majority of people do not support the PJD Link Expressway project.

On April 17, government spokesperson Fahmi Fadzil said that the highway project had been cancelled as the developer failed to meet conditions.

The concessionaire had applied for an extension to meet the conditions but it was rejected by the government, the communications minister said.

In response, PJD Link said it is studying requests to review the highway’s alignment.

Elaborating, PJD Link said that it has yet to be “officially informed” by the government about the cancellation and vouched for the project’s viability and benefits for the people.

Highway needed to reduce traffic congestion

Meanwhile, Afif said that Lee had not read the environmental assessment (EIA) and social impact assessment (SIA) reports issued by the developer.

The reports were approved by Putrajaya in November 2023, he added.

“The congestion we are facing in Taman Medan and Petaling Jaya is serious.

“Unfortunately, no alternative has been offered, no public transportation has been offered, no road widening project has been offered. The fact is that we have to face this every day.

“The PJD Link Expressway is here to solve the problem,” he said.

He asked if there was an alternative to the highway.

On April 20, Kinrara residents urged the government to terminate the PJD Link concession agreement in totality.

In a press conference, resident A Dhanaraj said this must be done to ensure that the project will not be revived if and when it fulfils certain “requirements”.

PJD Link signed the concession agreement with the Malaysian government on April 5, 2022.

The proposed 25.4km two-lane double carriageway was meant to start after the NKVE toll plaza on Sprint Expressway in Damansara and end at the intersection of the Bukit Jalil Highway.

The expressway would have connected the north and south of Petaling Jaya, passing through Petaling Jaya Utara, Bandar Utama, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Petaling Jaya city centre, Taman Dato’ Harun, Taman Medan Baru, Taman Sri Manja, Bandar Kinrara, and Bukit Jalil Technology Park.

It was to ease traffic congestion and accommodate future vehicle growth in Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley.

The Selangor government halted the highway project in July last year, but Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said the project would be revived if it fulfils certain “requirements”. - Mkini