JANUARY 22 — Barisan Nasional Petaling Jaya Utara is against Kidex as it will go against Petaling Jaya’s Development Blueprint for a Sustainable Liveable Environment.

It is clear that if the proposed highway was approved, it would not make PJ a healthier and better city, but worse still, will add on to the carbon footprint, dust and noise pollution and bring in a high volume of vehicles.

The Local Authorities have not explored enough to consider other methods of traffic reduction that is acceptable to the people. Instead they are seen to be promoting Kidex at the expense of Petaling Jaya residents’ well-being.

Flaw by Federal Government

Kidex was awarded at the Federal Level via a direct negotiation basis. It is however subjected to the State and Local Governments’ Approval at the moment.

Direct negotiation of public projects by the Federal Government must not only be fair but seen to be fair.

However, in the case of Kidex, the direct negotiation by the Federal Government has resulted in it being the most expensive highway ever to be built in Malaysia (at approximately RM160m per km).

Underground and other alignments, as queried and suggested by some residents during the “Kidex Meet Residents Sessions” were not even considered by the sole concessionaires.

Ultimately, it will be the people who will bear the social burden and pay for the cost of this Highway.

The Federal Government should therefore review and reconsider this matter with regards to the costs, the alignment and the social viability of this Highway to ensure the people’s interests are protected at all times.

Pakatan and DAP Hypocrisy

On the June 18, 2014, at a meeting at the PJ Library, MPs such as Rafizi and Gobind Singh have voiced out their stand against Kidex. They claimed that Kidex is a BN Crony Project. They lashed out at the then Mentri Besar (Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim) for approving Kidex.

Subsequently the minutes of the Selangor State Exco Meeting reveals that Kidex was discussed by the State Exco in 2012. Kidex was considered in these Exco meetings with DAP Representatives Teresa Kok and a few others approving the same. Subsequently, the concession was awarded by the Federal Government.

To date, the new Mentri Besar and his exco together with the MP and  State Elected Representatives of PJ have yet to block Kidex for reasons known only to them.

Furthermore, their response and rush to implement the PJ One Way Loop and Jalan Harapan without even conducting a Road Safety Audit raise major question as to whether they are done in haste by the Local Pakatan Rakyat appointed Councillors and the Local DAP State Assemblyman to accommodate Kidex.

Reject Kidex

As Kidex must now again be approved by the Selangor State Government before it can proceed, all the Pakatan Rakyat State elected representatives should just reject the Project outright in its present form in the interest of PJ Residents rather than to argue over what the Federal Government has to say about the Project.

MBPJ councillors must close the Kidex issue with an outright objection to assure the people that the proposed construction would take place. They have to bear in mind that all decisions made must take into account the interest of Petaling Jaya residents who have lived out their lives in PJ and have a right to shape the future of our city.

Enough is enough, just say no to Kidex and not spin the issue further.

Tan Gim Tuan

Chairman Barisan Nasional

Petaling Jaya Utara

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.