PETALING Jaya residents want the Selangor government to state its stand on proposed 34.3km dual-carriage expressway, the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link).

They want the state government to confirm if the project has been scrapped, and if so, why was it mentioned recently in the state assembly that the project was awaiting a concession agreement.

The residents are also questioning the Selangor government about a statement dated September 3 last year that projects similar to the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) would not be revived.

Coalition Against PJD Link leader Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir said the PJD Link should be scrapped as the state government had rejected the Kidex project.

“As we can see, the Pakatan Harapan statement has rejected Kidex and any highways that are similar to it.

“So, we want to know why PJD Link is still being discussed in the Selangor state assembly,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Sheikh said on September 1 last year, the PKR political bureau had sought clarification on the project from Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

“It was confirmed that the PJD Link was a rebranding of the Kidex project and that approval had not been given for the project.

“On September 3, PH issued a media statement that PJD Link had not been approved by the state government.

“The statement also said that Kidex and other similar highways will not be revived. This we believe referred to the PJD Link.”

The PH statement was jointly issued by Amirudin, Selangor state infrastructure executive councillor Izham Hashim and Selangor DAP chairman Gobind Singh Deo.

Sheikh said Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran had asked about the status of the link at the state assembly.

“Surprisingly, the response provided by Izham in December was that the state was open to the (idea of the) same project despite the announcement by PH on September 3.”

Sheikh said that on March 17 in the state assembly, Izham said that the federal government was in the final stages of drawing up a concession agreement with PJD Link after the project was endorsed by the cabinet in November.

“Izham then mentioned that the state had yet to receive the environmental, social or traffic impact assessments or other technical reports from the concessionaire.”

Sheikh said if the state government were to refer to the PH statement, the project should be cancelled.

“We want to know why the menteri besar is not taking the same stance to reject the project as stated in the PH statement.”

The Malaysian Insight has contacted Izham and is awaiting a response.

“We hope that Amirudin will provide an explanation to the residents by Hari Raya.

“If there is no response by then, we will again send the government a memorandum objecting to the project.”

Sheikh said the state government must honour its promise to the residents.

Petaling Jaya residents opposed the project since 2016.

They said that the mega project would cut through their neighbourhoods and affect up to 1,000 homes.

The residents said the proposed highway would bring enormous traffic flow, carbon emission, air pollution, as well as noise and visual disturbances, which will affect residents.

It was reported that the proposed highway was to run along Jalan Penchala and Jalan Sultan (PJ Sentral), crossing the federal highway towards Jalan Professor Khoo Kay Khim (previously Jalan Semangat) and Jalan Harapan, and then turning west along the SPRINT Highway towards the New Klang Valley Expressway Damansara toll plaza. – April 3, 2022.