Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has clarified that the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) has received approval in principle only and the project proposers still have to convince the state with various impact surveys.

Despite mounting protests from Petaling Jaya residents, state assemblypersons and several opposition MPs, Khalid ( right ) maintained his stand that the RM2 billion skyway will not be scrapped immediately.

"We just gave approval in principle to a ring road to be built as a traffic dispersal system. It depends on the cost, traffic assessment and evaluation of its impact on society and the environment," Khalid ( right in photo ) said in a press conference after the state executive council meeting today.

It was revealed in Parliament yesterday that the highway's private developer Kidex Sdn Bhd had received a Federal government concession to collect tolls for 48 years, which was also slammed by DAP Selangor chief Tony Pua. 

Last week, Khalid had defended Kidex as a good project despite previous calls by PKR's Rafizi Ramli and DAP's Gobind Singh to drop it.

MHA told to explain

Khalid also announced Selangor has urged the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) to explain the proposed Kidex to the people.

He said as a statutory body and owner of the national highways, MHA should play a better role to prevent the people from getting confused.

"I find people are confused or misled by interested parties, either for or against the proposed construction of this highway," he said.

Khalid urged the people not to panic and to let the relevant parties carry out their due diligence.

He said people should not worry because the state reserves the right to block Kidex if it does not meet its requirements.

"We also understand that the concessionaire (Kidex Sdn Bhd) has so far not sent the environmental impact assessment report, social impact and traffic impact assessment reports to the Petaling Jaya City Council," he said.

Construction of the 14.9km Kidex is expected to start next year, at an estimated cost of RM2.2 billion and it will take four years to complete.

The highway, which will run through the heart of Petaling Jaya, is touted to be the alternative to the very busy Lebuhraya Puchong-Damansara (LDP).

Residents have established the NGO "Say No to Kidex", which has protested every time Kidex holds a briefing for the affected residents.

MHA will also be attending the Selangor Economic Action Council meeting tomorrow to discuss its views with the state government, Khalid said.