PETALING Jaya residents remain unconvinced the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) project has been cancelled.
They said while they welcomed the announcement by caretaker Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to scrap it, it seemed that the matter was not fully resolved.
Their lack of conviction comes from Amirudin’s subsequent remarks that the project could be revived if the developer met the necessary requirements.
Coalition Against PJD Link Highway leader Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir said this has frustrated them.
“This anxiety must be put to rest once and for all. Just cancel the project. We hope this is not an election gimmick,” he told The Malaysian Insight.
On Monday, Amirudin said the Selangor government had terminated the controversial PJD Link project as it did not meet social impact requirements.
“Therefore, the state government does not plan to proceed and has decided to reject the application of the developers of the PJD Link Expressway,” his statement read.
“However, for now, we cannot do so because certain conditions have not been fulfilled,” he reportedly said hours later.
The proposed PJD Link is to have a 25.4km dual carriageway starting after the NKVE toll plaza on the SPRINT Highway in Damansara. It ends at the Bukit Jalil highway interchange.
The project was planned to ease traffic congestion and cater to future growth in the Klang Valley. The PJD Link developer signed a concession agreement with the government on April 5 last year.
Petaling Jaya residents had objected to the project, calling instead for a comprehensive public transport plan.
Scrap PJD Link at state assembly
Sheikh Moqhtar said if Amirudin continued to helm the state after the polls, the matter must be addressed at the first state assembly meeting.
“Annul the PJD Link project. He shouldn’t say one thing as caretaker MB then go into the state assembly meeting and say something else.”
He added that the federal government should reach the same decision too.
“This assessment and evaluation should be communicated to the federal government.
“Works Minister Alexander Nanta Linggi cannot be having a different evaluation process (on PJD Link).
“By (Amirudin) arriving at this decision, the same should apply with the federal government.”
“We also appeal to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to look into this matter.
“There should be closure at the state level, followed through by the federal government.” – August 2, 2023.
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