PETALING JAYA, June 19 — The Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) plan is unlikely to proceed as Selangor has not given approval for the RM2.42 billion federal project, a state executive councillor has claimed.

State executive councillor for tourism, consumer affairs and environment Elizabeth Wong said that highway developer Kidex Sdn Bhd had only shown a video presentation for the proposed 14.9km highway when they met the state's economic action council committee (MTES) in February 2012.

According to Wong, the state government has not received any documents since then, and that Kidex Sdn Bhd has yet to furnish detailed traffic impact assessment (TIA) reports and environmental impact assessment (EIA) reports to the local city councils.

"We have not approved anything, and I do not think the project will go ahead because the information given has not been complete," she said last night during a meeting between Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal and state lawmakers and residents opposing the highway plan.

But it is unclear how the Selangor government will resist the project, or whether it is legally able to do so.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has repeatedly said his administration cannot oppose the project and that the state's powers were advisory and limited to making changes to Kidex's proposed alignment.

However, the state government's indirect consent via local councils such as the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is needed before the highway construction may begin.

When residents asked why Selangor gave conditional approval for the Kidex highway despite the absence of supporting documents, Wong said the preliminary consent hinged on Kidex Sdn Bhd releasing the said reports to the state.

"There is no principal approval (now) because there is nothing to approve," she told reporters later.

When asked to comment on MB Khalid's repeated defence of the project, Wong said the state government would have to review that stand.

"I think this has to be revisited, a project like this is supposed to be in the public interest.

"If it is not in the public interest, the state has every right to reject this," the Bukit Lanjan state assemblyman added.

The meeting, ostensibly held to discuss concerns about Kidex as well as several other planned highways such as the Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (Dash) and the Sungai Besi-Hulu Kelang Expressway (Suke), ended up with both PR representatives and residents attacking MB Khalid's leadership of the country's richest state.

Puchong DAP MP Gobind Singh Deo, a vocal opponent of Kidex, reminded Khalid to heed residents’ grouses, and to meet them and address the matter.

He said that it was unacceptable for the state government to not make public consultation a top priority when it came to projects of major public interest such as the Kidex.

"This does not mean that Khalid can come up with unacceptable answers. We voted against this, we would want to see them (Selangor government) put up a fight, even if they do not succeed, at least put up a fight," Gobind said to cheers and claps from the 250-odd attendees here.

Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli from PKR, who was also present, stressed that the public consultation process should have started before even an "initial approval" was given by the state government.

He asserted that such a procedure of obtaining approval without engaging with the public was a system inherited from the previous Barisan Nasional (BN) state administration, and that MB Khalid has a responsibility to move away from this.

He said that the PR leadership council will be making a decision "soon" on Kidex, and hoped that Khalid would respect the conclusion once it is made.

The Works Ministry said last week that the federal government has signed a 48-year concession agreement with Kidex Sdn Bhd, the highway’s developer.

In a written Parliamentary reply to DAP Puchong MP Gobind, Works Minister Datuk Fadhillah Yusof said the agreement was signed last year but that the toll rates for the RM2.42 billion highway has yet to be determined.

The Kidex project has been rejected on three occasions by the city council as developers had failed to provide sufficient details.

Under Section 18 of the Town Country and Planning Act (TCPA), construction cannot start unless the highway fits with MBPJ’s plans.

Kidex is currently not incorporated into the council’s blueprint for Petaling Jaya city.

Despite the growing opposition, mounting evidence in the form of replies in Parliament and the state legislative assembly indicate that the project is set to proceed.

Among the areas that could be affected by the project are Tropicana Mall, SS2 Mall, Rothman’s traffic lights, Section 14, Amcorp Mall, Hilton Petaling Jaya, Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Jalan Templer roundabout, Taman Datuk Harun, Taman Medan Baru and Bandar Kinrara.

Construction of the multi-billion ringgit highway could begin as soon as next year and be completed by 2018.