A representative of Say No To Kidex has filed an appeal to the Selangor State Information Board over the state’s non-compliance with the Freedom of Information Enactment.

Chia Gek Suan filed the appeal after the state failed to provide her with the information sought through an FOI application on June 8.

In her appeal, Chia said that the state had ignored her request for “minutes of the meeting or meetings at which the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project has been discussed, including the meeting at which the proposed project as agreed in principle”.

The request was only “partially fulfilled”, with minutes for some meetings missing.

She said the state also failed to supply a copy of the letter dated Feb 23, 2012 by the Selangor Economic Action Council, agreeing to the project.

“The people of Selangor deserve answers about Kidex project, and it is saddening that we have to resort to the law to get them from you,” Chia said in a letter to Selangor MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dated July 21.

She had written to Abdul Khalid to express her “disappointment” and to provide the state a chance to disclose the information sought, without being compelled by the State Information Board.

The state also did not inform her why it has refused to supply the information sought, as required under section 8 of the FOI enactment.

Traffic woes

The group is opposing the project as it says Kidex contravenes Pakatan Rakyat’s 13th general election manifesto to get rid of tolled highways.

It also argues that the highway project will not be able solve the traffic woes and was approved without a traffic impact assessment.

However, the state government said the highway is part of a wider transportation network plan by the federal government, and that the approval is subject to compliance over a range of criteria.

Grassroots opposition to Kidex has been used by Khalid’s detractors within Pakatan Rakyat to press for his ouster as MB.