Projek Lintasan Kota Sdn Bhd (Prolintas) has called for the tenders of pre-qualification of contractors  for the Damansara-Shah Alam highway (Dash) project via an advertisement in The Star on Tuesday Aug 18, 2015. In the notice, Prolintas specifically introduced Dash as an elevated highway with its primary route commencing from Puncak Perdana in the west to Damansara Perdana in the east.

Say No To Dash (SNTD) regards such an action by Prolintas as an indication that the developer has already received the requisite approval to proceed or is confident of being given the go ahead soon, despite the fact that the exercise to review the project is still ongoing by the Selangor state government.

What is especially alarming is the fact that the concessionaire has clearly listed Damansara Perdana as being part of the highway’s alignment despite assurances from Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson Elizabeth Wong that both the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and the Selangor state exco had removed that segment of the expressway due to our objections.

This was confirmed in the recent MBPJ Public Hearing held on July 27, 2015 on amendments to the PJ Local City Plan 2 (RTPJ 2).

The brazen advertorial today suggests otherwise.

Unless the Selangor state government vociferously denounces this exercise and issues a statement to that effect, the minds of the residents will most likely be left questioning the motives and honesty of intent of the current government.

The Say No to Dash (SNTD) group would like to remind the Selangor government that the initial promise that all proposed highway projects in Selangor would be subjected to the same three conditions that the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) was subjected to.

Three conditions

Kidex was subsequently cancelled because its concessionaire could not meet the three conditions within a specific time-frame given.

The three conditions were namely:

1. The concessionaire, Kidex, must provide a traffic impact and other relevant studies demonstrating substantial benefit for to the residents in the affected region.

2. There must be full transparency on the rate of return of the highway including the toll rates to be charged. This is to ensure that there will be no astronomical profits for the concessionaire and unfair burden on the people.

3. In line with the transparency and accountability practice of the Selangor state government, the concession agreement must be fully disclosed to the public, not just the menteri besar and the state legal advisers.

The fact that Prolintas is not subject to the same treatment highlights bias on the part of the Selangor government. For our part:

1. We were assured by the Selangor state government that the Dash would not traverse Damansara Perdana and have therefore remained silent to test the actions of the Selangor government. This now seems not to be the case.

2. We have not made a ruckus over Pakatan Rakyat’s Buku Jingga manifesto - Pakatan promised to abolish tolled highways and stop crony projects that did not go through the tender process.

3. We would like to remind Pakatan Rakyat, being the current ruling state government, that Prolintas has been given a whopping 68-year concession period for this highway by the Works Ministry without a tender exercise, and thus without due process.

Instead, we waited patiently for the Selangor government to uphold their promise to stop the project since 2012. They have instead gradually compromised by allowing the highway to be built, but not through Damansara Perdana and Mutiara Damansara.

It is about time the menteri besar and the Selangor exco decide once and for all the status of this highway. Three and a half years is a long enough wait.

Say No to Dash (SNTD) Damansara Group represents the voice of residents opposing the DashH Highway in the Damansara segment of the proposed highway alignment.