JUNE 14 ― Uneasy remarks this week by Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof and Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim have only turned up the heat on the hot-button issue of Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).

Fadillah told Parliament that Putrajaya has no clue on toll rates for the RM2.42 billion, 14.9km elevated highway that is to be built over houses, schools and businesses in Petaling Jaya as it twists from Bandar Kinrara to Bandar Utama.

In a written reply to DAP Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, Fadillah said the Kidex concession agreement was signed last year and the concession was for an astonishing 48 years.

It’s shocking that the concession agreement was signed for 48 years without the toll rates. Fadillah said the toll was “yet to be determined”, and “too soon to disclose the information”.

A day later, Khalid, who has stood firm that the federal government project will go on, said Kidex was still under consideration and had only been approved in principle by Putrajaya.

On May 24, Khalid was reported as saying that affected residents needed to listen to the full explanation from the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) as it was fully-funded project by Putrajaya.

It was an awkward statement because he hadn’t met MHA officials and did so only on Thursday to get details of Kidex, including whether it would only lead to a negligible reduction of traffic.

We know already that Khalid seldom listens. If he has been listening, then he would be concerned that the skyway would worsen congested roads, risk the safety of schoolchildren and pollute neighbourhoods in Petaling Jaya.

Alleged secrecy over the expressway is beginning to gain traction as a result of scarcity of information. Consider:

• If in the past fixed toll rates and the rule for the periodic hikes in toll rates, based on the volume of traffic, were mandatory in highway toll concession agreements, why not Kidex?

• Wouldn’t Putrajaya be in a weaker position to demand lower toll rates once Kidex is completed?

• Why would the concessionaire ignore return on investment and make a contractual commitment without the certainty of knowing how much toll would be charged and collected over 48 years?

• Why was the concession given when Kidex had not submitted detailed reports on environmental, social and traffic impact to the relevant authorities?

• Now, think of one bank that will provide Kidex financing for the project without agreed toll rates, scheduled toll increases, proper traffic forecast and other relevant reports.

And still to be addressed is speculation that the cost of the highway will soar as a result of land acquisitions.

Let’s acknowledge what's obvious: The way the authorities and the highway developer have handled the ‘secrecy’ of Kidex has been pathetic.

It’s a classic case of crisis management-turned- management crisis. Consider:

• DAP lawmakers contend that the highway would, according to an early Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) report by the developer, only cut congestion on 43 roads in Petaling Jaya by a mere three to five per cent after it is completed.

• Kidex, on the other hand, claims 10 years after completion, 25 local roads will see a 20-30 per cent drop in traffic.

• It’s confusing because one talks of overall percentage drop on 43 roads while the other talks of percentage drop on only 25 local roads.

What about the other 18 roads?

If Kidex is not built, the TIA report estimates that in 2018, traffic on those 43 roads in PJ would total 1,545,553 passenger car unit (PCU). If Kidex is built, total traffic would be 1,455,310 PCU.

In 2028, the report estimates that there will be 1,917,040 cars in Petaling Jaya if Kidex was not built. If it is operational, there would be 1,858,531 PCU.

So, where are the benefits of Kidex coming from?

I have no confidence in Khalid that he will raise objections to Kidex — which is not in the masterplan for Petaling Jaya city — even if its benefits were insignificant.

Something’s not right when Khalid says: "I will bring those figures (traffic analysis) up with the Malaysian Highway Authority when we meet them. I will ask if the impact on congestion was negligible, why they signed it (concession agreement)."

By the way, has anyone signed a contract with a housing developer who will only decide on the price of your dream home after it has been built?

Shhh ... can anyone hear that? Listen carefully. It’s the sound (me rubbing my middle finger and thumb together) of the world’s tiniest violin being played for the reckless lot who have spooked PJ residents over Kidex and are now trying to simply explain away things.

*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.