Selangor is a state governed by the Opposition(in the Federal Government) - a Pakatan Harapan government, and before that a Pakatan Rakyat government. It has not been under the UMNO-BN rule for some time now.
PJD Link is a new Highway Project, and the question was whether the people have been consulted by the government before the project was approved.
Well, the people have most likely been consulted - i.e. the peoples' representative at the Local Government(the Local Council), and the peoples' representative at the community level(be it the community leaders or the local area leaders) > but the problem is that all these peoples' representatives are not democratically elected and chosen by the people in the areas concerned - but still, after many years under PH(or before that PR rule) are still POLITICAL APPOINTEES of the State Government.
All peoples' representative OUGHT to be democratically elected by the people - from our peoples' representative in Local Governments, right down to the peoples' representative at the kampung/taman level or any other area....but still the 'alternative' PH practices the old ways of the BN government - the State government appoints who they want...When will the people get full democracy?
Even when PH managed to be in power at the Federal level, they FAILED to amend the Federal law that allowed democratic elections at Local Councils. They preferred to still prevent people from exercising their rights to elect democratically their Local Government representatives. They still preferred PSEUDO political appointees to hold that position - these peoples' representatives STEAL our rights as people in a particular area.
Problem with 'political appointees' is that they do not have to bother about what the people want or think - to continue being appointed, all they have to do is to please them with the power to appoint them.
PJD Link Highway - if one were to check, it may be possible to find the PJ Municipal Council and other relevant local councils may have already given their CONSENT for this project.[Did they even discuss with the people and get their consent - maybe by a referendum considering the numbers involved? ...probably not]
What about the other local community leaders/institutions like the Village security and development committee(JKKK), Kampung/Kampung Baharu/Taman chief/committee - probably they too may have given their CONSENT.
Were the people even consulted by these 'peoples' representatives' at the Local Government or lower levels before they approved the project?
PJD - Was PRIVATE construction firm PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd given the approval of the State and Local Government?
What about 'OPEN TENDER' - was it not given for this project, even if it was going to be a ‘Private-sector initiative with no government subsidies’? No, Open Tender - is this not against PH policies?
First, the people ought to DECIDE whether they want a the PJD Highway?
If the people say yes, then there should be an OPEN TENDER - did this happen?
Now, the said company, apparently who got the project is doing the needful - probably the 'conditions' before final approval to start building...
If PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd has yet to get approval or chosen by the government, does that mean some other company can also compete to get the project..
This Highway project may not be 'financed' with government funds - but then apparently the government seem to have agreed to new TOLL Collections ...so, the people themselves, over and above the taxes already contributed to government, will again have to pay for this Highway. Did not the PH(or PR) promise the abolition of tolls before? Should not roads be FREE?
...the company had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and the Highway Planning Unit under the Works Ministry to proceed with the next stage of planning on its alignment..... including preparation of the traffic, social and environmental impact assessments, as well as engaging the public via townhall meetings.
PJD Link (M)’s proposal is to build a 34.3km four-lane elevated expressway with eight interchanges over three years. There will also be two toll plazas on the proposed highway — one at Jalan Harapan and another at Kinrara.
Something is upside down - looks like 'townhall meetings' comes at the end? Federal authorities approved before State and Local Governments?
What kind of 'townhall meetings' - informing people the status of the project. After all, so much has already been done by the said company - so it will just be 'show' townhall meetings - where the people may really have no choice to stop the project at all???
Rather than townhall meetings, which may be presentations and limited Q&As, should not be the peoples' consent be obtained first...THE BEST WAY IS A PUBLIC REFERENDUM, WHERE ALL CAN VOTE YES OR NO...
WHY BOTHER WITH '...traffic, social and environmental impact assessments...' IF THE PEOPLE DO NOT WANT THIS NEW HIGHWAY
What is frustrating many is the fact that the so-called 'ALTERNATIVE' is simply doing things the same way as then BN government would have. Are we simply happy with the mere change of persons/parties in position in leadership - but no real significant changes that respects peoples' democratic rights?
Once, an elderly shopkeeper, after Pakatan Rakyat came into power in Selangor said, 'what change? What changed was the name of the people in power, and the cronies? Nothing else really...' Is this TRUE?
Do Malaysians have a choice of one type of BN government OR another similar BN style government with people from a different party?
'Janji tidak dikota' was a phrase thrown at Najib and the then BN government, but can't we also thrown the same phrase at the so-called alternative government.
When the government is thinking of any new development/highway, should not the the people be consulted first???? That will be real democratic practice.. Getting all approvals, assessment done, etc and then meeting the people is ODD...
Are we sure that the government is not spending monies for this Highway project? They surely will be spending a lot of monies doing the various approvals, assessments - or is all this cost borne by PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd?
Our political parties need to DEVELOP and be clear on what DIFFERENCE they will bring...Clearly democracy is not a priority of PR, or even PH - there is almost no talk about Local Council Elections, is there? Let alone local community/area democratic elections, is there?
'POLITICAL APPOINTEE' is a common position of BN, PN and even PH, it seems? Avoidance of 'Open Tender' and direct allocation of projects may be another common factor? Preserving 'bad laws' that prevents our exercise of freedom of speech, expression and assembly may also be another common factor..
If this happened during the era when BN ruled Selangor, we may understand. How come this is happening when the PH is ruling? What does DAP and PKR say - silence means 'consent' of what is happening...
Anyway, on highways and roads, I believe it should be government owned, and maintained. It should be free - no tolls. Governments should really focus in improving public transport - hence reducing the need for use of private cars, and this would also be better for the environment...In many developed nations, we hardly see many private cars and this happens when you have a very good public transport system...
Did Selangor govt approve highway project behind our backs, ask PJ folk
PETALING Jaya residents are seeing red over the proposed 34.3km dual-carriage Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) expressway that will cut through their neighbourhoods and affect up to 1,000 homes.
They questioned the Selangor government on the status of the project, asking if it had been approved despite earlier assurances given by the state government that it will not proceed.
This was because the project developers have now been given approval to engage with residents.
The Coalition Against PJD Link leader Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir said their objection against the mega highway started in 2016.
“We received assurances from former Selangor menteri besar Azmin Ali through Bukit Gasing assemblyman Rajiv Rishyakaran who said as long as Pakatan Harapan was administrating the state, we won’t have to worry about the project.
“However, what we want to know now is, if the project has been approved,” he told The Malaysian Insight.
Leader of the Coalition Against PJD Link Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir says despite assurances given by state authorities that the project will not move ahead, Petaling Jaya dwellers are puzzled as to why project developers have now been given approval to engage with residents. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, August 24, 2021.Moqhtar said in September 2020, the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES) meeting chaired by Selangor Menteri Besar Amiruddin Shaari had given the nod to developers to engage with residents.
He said that the residents also wanted to know if the environmental impact assessment (EIA), traffic impact assessment (TIA) and social impact assessment (SIA) had been completed.
He said the proposed highway would bring enormous traffic flow, carbon emission, air pollution, as well as noise and visual disturbances, which will affect residents.
“During our last engagement with Selangor exco for infrastructure, public utilities, modernisation of agriculture and agro-based industry, Izham Hashim, on August 5, we were told no approval had been given by the state government (for the project).”
On July 31, Star Metro reported PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd executive director Amrish Hari Narayanan as saying they had received approval from the authorities to proceed with the next stage of planning the alignment of the highway.
Amrish, however, said it was not the final alignment.
The Edge in August reported that the proposed highway was to run along Jalan Penchala and Jalan Sultan (PJ Sentral), crossing the federal highway towards Jalan Professor Khoo Kay Khim (previously Jalan Semangat) and Jalan Harapan, and then turning west along the Sprint highway towards the New Klang Valley expressway Damansara toll plaza.
Amrish was quoted as saying that he was still unable to determine the cost of the project until the alignment was completed.
The Malaysian Insight has contacted PJD Link Sdn Bhd and is awaiting their response.
Project could affect up to 1,000 homes
This latest development has caused anxiety among dwellers in the affected areas.
Moqhtar said they were shocked to learn from a Chinese news report last month that the project had been approved by both the federal and state governments.
“We want Izham and Amiruddin to give us a direct answer on whether it (PJD Link) is approved or not,” he said.
“Why bring a mega highway into a matured neighbourhood? Houses will have to be acquired for the project and that’s the residents’ biggest fear.
Moqhtar said it was difficult to predict how many households would be affected as the alignment has yet to be finalised but estimated it could be in the region of 500 to 1,000 households.
He said they would be sending a letter to Amiruddin by the end of this month to express their objections to the highway.
Section 19 residents’ association vice-chairman Thomas Ng, meanwhile, said the city does not need another highway going through Petaling Jaya.
“I find that PJD Link is not what we want. We are already surrounded by highways.
“We are not against development, but building a multilevel highway will affect the livelihood of the people here.”
Ng hoped that the authorities can look into the project and shed some light on what was actually happening with the project.
Is PJD Link to replace Kidex?
Moqhtar also questioned if the PJD Link was a substitute for the cancelled Kinrara–Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project in 2015.
“Is PJD Link the same as Kidex, which was cancelled in 2015 because the TIA, EIA and SIA conditions were not met?
“It was cancelled in Parliament. However, Azmin said the plans still existed in the Selangor State Structural Plan 2035.”
He said the former menteri besar had previously mentioned that Kidex alignment was to be removed from the Selangor State Structural Plan 2035 along with its cancellation in 2015.
“Later Azmin mentioned that it was mistakenly left in Plan 2035. Anyway, we are uninformed of the status of the alignment removal to date.
“We are writing to ensure this proposal is removed. We are puzzled with the developer’s claim of the impending mega highway development in 2022, when the exercise to remove the Kidex alignment is in progress.”
Moqhtar said the Section 14 residents’ association had sent a letter
to former Petaling Jaya mayor Sayuthi Bakar to protest the highway
project last December. – August 24, 2021. - Malaysian Insight
PJD Link eyes submission of plan for mega PJ highway in 2Q2022
PRIVATE construction firm PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd, which is proposing to revive a multibillion-ringgit highway project across Petaling Jaya, Selangor, has yet to get the go-ahead from the Selangor state authorities for the proposed highway.
“Submission of official documents and applications to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Selangor state authorities are essential for regulatory approval and scheduled to be completed by the second quarter of 2022,” its executive director Amrish Hari Narayanan said in a letter to Selve Sugumaran Perumal, the chairman of Section 14 Residents Association, dated Aug 7, 2021. A copy of the letter was obtained by The Edge.
Amrish was responding to talk that PJD Link (M) had received approval from MBPJ and the Selangor state government on the quiet and without due process. In January, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari reportedly said it was “unfair” for critics of the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway to equate the project with the previously scrapped Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex), a comment that PJD Link opponents see as a move in support of the proposed highway.
Calling the allegations “baseless” and “entirely false”, Amrish said in the letter: “Not only do we need to adhere to stringent regulatory approvals from MBPJ, the Selangor state and federal governments, but our banks will scrutinise every detail to ensure there is full compliance in every aspect.”
Still, plans for the proposed highway have taken a major step forward. Amrish told The Star Metro on July 31 that the company had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and the Highway Planning Unit under the Works Ministry to proceed with the next stage of planning on its alignment.
In the letter, Amrish said PJD Link (M) is proposing the alignment of the proposed highway to run along Jalan Penchala and Jalan Sultan (PJ Sentral), crossing the Federal Highway towards Jalan Professor Khoo Kay Kim (previously known as Jalan Semangat) and Jalan Harapan, and then turning west along the Sprint Highway towards the New Klang Valley Expressway Damansara toll plaza. Meanwhile, an earlier proposal to follow part of Sungai Penchala’s alignment is no longer a favourable option.
“We now have a firm proposed alignment after having substantive discussions with MHA and other government departments. This represents a small milestone for us,” he added.
Amrish said the alignment map and proposed exit/entry ramp locations would be released to the public, but he did not disclose the date.
He conceded, however, that the Covid-19 pandemic had delayed its plans, including preparation of the traffic, social and environmental impact assessments, as well as engaging the public via townhall meetings.
‘Private-sector initiative with no government subsidies’
When contacted by The Edge, Amrish says he is still unable to determine the cost of the project until the alignment is finalised. The cost of the previous controversial Kidex project, which was scrapped six years ago by then Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, was said to be RM2.4 billion.
PJD Link (M)’s proposal is to build a 34.3km four-lane elevated expressway with eight interchanges over three years. There will also be two toll plazas on the proposed highway — one at Jalan Harapan and another at Kinrara.
“This is an infrastructure project without any subsidies from the state or federal government, including the land acquisition cost. We are forking out every sen of our own plus borrowings from private banks,” said Amrish in the letter. PJD Link is 70%-controlled by businessman Tan Sri Hari Narayanan Govindasamy and his family via private vehicle Noblemax Resources Sdn Bhd. The remaining 30% is held by PJD Link Holdings Sdn Bhd, which is majority-owned by Mansor Salleh @ Md Salleh.
PJD Link (M), as the project concessionaire, will be collecting tolls over a period of time to recoup its investment.
The proposed highway comes at a time when some existing highway concessionaires are not generating enough money to pay back bondholders. On Aug 2, local rating agency Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd had warned that toll-road concessionaire MEX II Sdn Bhd’s RM1.3 billion sukuk and RM150 million junior bonds remained at risk for imminent default. “MEX II faces a looming repayment of RM68.7 million on Aug 27, followed by a further RM38.2 million on Oct 29. [However,] it had reported cash of just RM7.8 million in its finance service reserve account at end-May,” it said.
In the letter, Amrish stated that PJD Link would help ease traffic flow in Section 13 and PJ Sentral, which are fast developing into a new city centre.
“PJD Link will remove many cars from the existing roads at ground/street level by putting them on the elevated highway, thus traffic will become more manageable at the street level.
“For residents living or working around Jalan Templer (Seksyen 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6), the new highway built along Jalan Penchala will divert peak-hour traffic away from the severely congested Jalan Templer. For vehicles heading southbound to Puchong and Taman Medan, you no longer need to squeeze through the narrow Jalan Templer to gain access to the New Pantai Expressway,” he said.
Maria Chin Abdullah, Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya, says until the traffic, social and environmental impact assessments are completed, the proposed highway is still a no-go. “It has to go through a series of consultations from federal to state to council levels plus feedback from the residents,” she tells The Edge.
“As far as I am concerned, we don’t need elevated highways in PJ. We need a good public transport system that can take the elderly, the schoolchildren, the shoppers, the workers to the social and economic amenities such as hospitals, market schools and libraries.
“I won’t deny that we need to resolve the traffic congestion, but
there are other ways, for example, a thorough review of our public
transport system to increase buses and walkways to connect buildings
like those at Ampang Park. There is a serious need to reduce our carbon
footprints and not create more to pollute the environment. Besides, when
Pakatan Harapan came in as the government (from 2018 to February 2020),
we did say we wanted to move towards reduction, if not to get rid, of
tolls. Our promise to the people must be upheld.” - Edge Markets, 23/8/2021
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