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The federal Works Ministry has granted an extension till February to Kidex Sdn Bhd. The Selangor government has requested the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex Skyway) concessionaire to fulfill three conditions to be fulfilled by February. Petaling Jaya City Council’s consultants have been asked to submit a traffic impact assessment impact (TIA) study on the proposed Kidex in February.

There would be some serious planetary changes in February for the people of Petaling Jaya, let’s us look at them.

Kickbacks, kisses and bombs for Petaling Jaya residents, all in February 2015. This would be a particularly important time as their humble request to the authorities to reconsider and cancel the Kidex Skyway would come to a close with the final outcome, a victory or loss for the rakyat.

The issue for Chinese New Year would be the red packet ‘ang pow’ - this would be given by the elders and people who have children to the young and needy. In the present case, we pray that those who have the project would not give to get the project approved.

The RM60 million allocation to the Petaling Jaya City Council to improve the local roads is a clear indication of what is to come and an admission that there is no benefit for the people of Petaling Jaya from this Kidex Skyway.

After the Member of Parliament for Petaling Jaya Utara was shown other highway contracts, we have learnt that for most highway concessions in Selangor, the Selangor state government or its investment arms had a shareholding. In the event shares are given to Selangor or its investment arms, would it be considered beneficial to the state of Selangor over the rakyat’s interests for the project gets to a go-ahead.

I submit that the rakyat’s benefit must override the state’s, and particularly the benefits for the people of Petaling Jaya must be of utmost importance.

The many drawbacks of Kidex Skyway have been pointed out - it lacks connectivity as it has only two up and down ramps in Petaling Jaya, that too on local roads which will be level of service F - standstill.

The other point the state would consider is the benefit for the users in term of time saved. The very term ‘consider’ is a ‘Yes’ to Kidex Skyway. Sure, there would be time saved from a present jammed-up expressway but for how long,10 years? The Kidex Skyway will be at a level of service F standstill in that time, whilst the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP) would be toll-free.

I wish the state would consider the rakyat as stated in the ‘Demi Rakyat’ platform, before anything else.

Make agreement public

The final point is the request for the agreement to be made public. In my mind, where you are a signatory, if the agreement cannot be made public how are you going to make one with those who have not signed?

The Selangor state government was a signatory to the Langat 2 agreement but this has not been made public to date. Then how to make public an agreement where you have not signed? This is wishful thinking but as a first step in transparency, would the public be given a copy or would it (the agreement) be placed in some far-away private place for public viewing.

That brings us to Valentine’s Day, a day for lovers, our love affair with Kidex Skyway having ‘fun’ with the big boys delaying a multi-billion ringgit project. Getting both kisses and hits in more ways than one from everyone. The principle is and always must be the rakyat over everything else. Is Kidex Skyway beneficial to the rakyat or would it cause more damage to the city of Petaling Jaya and its people?

The doomsday verdict is if Kidex Skyway is okayed by the Works Ministry, state government and the Petaling Jaya City Council. The state government with its’ Land Acquisition Act, Section 8 approval. The Works Ministry with the final Concession Agreement and the approval to proceed. The Petaling Jaya City Council with the amendments to the local structural plan.

All these in February 2015, a certain doomsday in February for Petaling Jaya residents which would be the kiss of death for property owners and their way of life, so loved and so easily taken away in Petaling Jaya by those in power. Is there light after the Kidex Skyway? Perhaps LED lights under the Kidex Skyway and no sunlight as God has turned it off for Petaling Jaya.

Just do not say we could have done this or that. Where were you when it was being done, did you stand up, and did you say no? Then live with it forever and hold your peace.


SELVE SUGUMARAN PERUMAL is vice-chairperson of the NGO Say No To Kidex.

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