A Petaling Jaya (PJ) councillor has confirmed the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) alignment has not been included in the amendments to the city's local government plan.

Councillor Lee Suet Sen in a statement today said this in response to Selangor Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons who on Wednesday urged for the plans to be kept out as the project was being rejected by the local councillors.

Lee said until the concessionaire submits all the necessary documents and makes the applications, the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) will be unable to consider whether to initiate the process of local plan amendment.

Amendments to the RTPJ1 and RTPJ2 (PJ city plans) to accommodate the highway in the local blueprint are required before the project can proceed.

Lee said upon receipt of all the necessary documents from Kidex, MBPJ would engage independent consultants to validate, audit and decide if the elevated highway is the best solution for the city's traffic management.

“MBPJ will determine if such a proposal is the best solution as it utilises public and private land and if there are other options equally of more efficacious with a lower environmental and social impact”

Only after this would the MBPJ full board decide if the first public exposure process should take place under Section 12 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, she said, adding this was the "professional and proper procedure".

She added that Selangor exco for local government Teng Chang Khim "shared the same view" (of the approval process via the local council).

Rejection all round

On Wednesday, Pakatan assemblypersons R Rajiv (DAP-Bukit Gasing), Yeo Bee Yin (DAP-Damansara Utama), Lau Weng San (DAP-Kampung Tunku), Haniza Talha (PKR-Taman Medan) and Noor Hanim Ismail (PAS-Seri Serdang) urged Selangor MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim to postpone any amendment to the local plan relating to Kidex.

The project has also been repeatedly criticised by DAP Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, who has said the toll highway project runs contrary to Pakatan's election manifesto of doing away with tolled highways.

At the state assembly this week, PKR president and Kajang MP Wan Azizah Wan Ismail also called on Khalid to take heed of Pakatan's voters who are vehemently opposed to the project.