THE scrapped Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway project is still haunting residents, with reports of a revival of the much-contested project.
The Coalition Against PJD Link is now seeking clarification on the cancellation of the project that was scrapped by Putrajaya in April.
On Thursday (July 4), the Selangor government confirmed that PJD Link is back on the drawing board.
State Public Infrastructure and Facilities, Agricultural Modernisation and Agro-Based Industry Committee chairman Izham Hashim, however, said whether the project would be given the go-ahead was in the hands of the Selangor Economic Action Council (MTES).
Izham said the federal administration had asked for the project to be reviewed after the concessionaire made improvements to at least five areas along the proposed highway.
According to him, the state government had told the PJD Link highway construction project to carry out a fresh social impact assessment (SIA) involving the proposed locations where changes and improvements were proposed.
“There were improvements and changes made to five or six locations along the proposed highway. The mitigations made to the proposed highway look good (on paper).
“MTES is looking into the matter and will decide if the changes and improvements made to the proposed highway meet all the requirements,” Izham told the Selangor State Legislative Assembly last week.
But the Coalition Against PJD Link hopes unity government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil, who announced the cancellation, can clarify the situation after the Selangor government announced that the project was still under consideration, following Putrajaya’s request.
Coalition leader Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir said they had been opposing the project for 10 years and had hoped that the cabinet decision was final.
According to media reports, Sheikh said that the residents were shocked and very unhappy after hearing the news.
“This matter has been going on for far too long, and we thought there was closure. So, how can Selangor revive something that has been terminated by the cabinet?
“Why is the Selangor MB not taking a stand on this? As this was announced by Izham, we hope that MB can clarify this,” he was quoted as saying by a local news portal.
Moreover, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung will also raise the issue during the ongoing parliamentary session.
Lee said he was shocked by the announcement by Izham, who is also the Selangor exco, that PJD Link and six other highway projects are now again under consideration by the state government. – July 7, 2024
