In a joint statement, Yeo Bee Yin (Damansara Utama), Rajiv Rishyakaran (Bukit Gasing), Ng Sze Han (Kinrara) and Lau Weng San (Kampung Tunku) welcomed more highways as Klang Valley develops but felt the proposed Kidex was better as a corridor for a public transportation line instead of a highway.
“The federal government has to move on from building more highways to increasing connectivity between public transportation, which will benefit the residents of Petaling Jaya and Puchong,” Yeo told Malay Mail.
She added the lack of a master plan to connect highways and public transportation was not good for future development.
“This should not be done in an ad hoc manner and there must be a master plan to help with the future development of Klang Valley,” Yeo said.
“The construction of the highway would require the acquisition of 300 plots of land, therefore the people of Petaling Jaya and Puchong want to see the benefit of this highway.”
Rajiv said the transport ministry, together with the Malaysian Highway Authority and Land Public Transport Commission, should come together and determine what the best options were.
“Kidex will cost an estimated RM170 million per kilometre while the Ampang/Putra Light Rail Transit (LRT) will cost RM205 million. Cost is not so much of an issue for the respective authorities, but they need to come up with the best option for the residents of the affected areas,” Rajiv said.
“We have requested for a traffic impact assessment report from the respective authorities but were told that it is classified under the Official Secrets Act.”
“There is no reason for the traffic impact assessment to be kept a secret,” Rajiv added.
The assemblyman urged the federal government to do comparative studies between a highway and a public transportation line along the corridor.
“Only with a holistic traffic master plan will we know which location is best for which mode of transport in the Klang Valley,” he said.
