On Nov 3, 2015, residents of Damansara Perdana, Mutiara Damansara and even some in Sunway Damansara and Kota Damansara expressed support and praise for MB Azmin Ali’s statement reported by Bernama there has been no new highways approved (referring to the three most controversial highways now - Damansara Shah Alam Highway (Dash), East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) and Sungai Besi Ulu Klang Expressway (SUKE) ) since he took office and since the cancellation of Kidex.

To recap, he added that Selangor does not intend to approve any new highways but instead would want to focus on improving an integrated public transportation network in Selangor. We thought, though cautiously, finally, a leader who has much foresight to realise that a truly sustainable solution to traffic congestion beyond highways is needed.

Unfortunately, this ‘light’ dimmed just a day after. On Nov 4, 2015, news reported in the media the MB’s response to the Dengkil assemblyperson at the Selangor state assembly yesterday that the Malaysian Highway Authority (Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia or LLM) and Projek Lintasan Kota (Prolintas) will be presenting a new design for the approval of the residents of the last segment of Dash - namely residents from Mutiara Damansara and Damansara Perdana.

He referred to his meeting with the works minister on March 19 this year.

Say No to Dash (Damansara) would like to clarify and put this statement into perspective almost at risk of sounding repetitive. Firstly, Prolintas has already presented the so-called new design to the residents representatives and also to our Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson, MP for Subang and MBPJ councillor (in a separate meeting) in May this year.

However, reading these news reports show that the menteri besar’s response is not only ‘outdated’ but failed to acknowledged our memorandum sent to him on May 25, 2015 attached with the petition signed by all the affected joint management bodies, residents associations and the church in Damansara Perdana and Mutiara Damansara REJECTING (emphasis ours) this new design as the new proposal was merely an enhancement of noise barriers and ramps going through the SAME alignment i.e. through the dense township of Damansara Perdana.

This only shows that either Azmin has been selectively updated or worst, not updated at all by people entrusted by the people to do so.

Flawed studies and assessments like the EIA and TIA aside, the government indecisiveness on the Dash highway shows a government’s disregard for proper town planning and the rakyat’s well-being that is being affected by a proposed six-lane monstrous elevated highway metres away from their homes.

Inconsistencies

Azmin’s back-to-back messages over the past two days reek conflict and inconsistencies. Is he against highways or is he not for traffic congestion? We need a leader who could decisively put his foot down on decisions that dices with the safety and well-being of his people.

The highways may have been given conditional approval by his predecessor despite objections from residents sometime in 2012, similarly to Kidex. Fast forward to 2014, after Azmin takes office, he imposed that final approval to highways are subject to the three conditions to which is the reason why Kidex was subsequently cancelled. None of the three highways above (Dash, EKVE and SUKE) have met the conditions either.

Where do we, the rakyat stand whilst all these finger-pointing (from federal to state and vice versa) and inconsistencies are presented? Where does the Selangor government stand with your election promise in your GE13 manifesto?

What Damansara Perdana, a hilly township, needs are more restraint and moderation in developing our neighbourhood - not a monstrous six-lane elevated highway squeezing through a local council road. Should it come to a time when the residents of Damansara are forced to see and face the concrete pillars of the Dash highway, this will be proof and reminder that Pakatan Rakyat has gambled our safety and homes and failed us, the rakyat!

Forget the blame on the federal government. It was the Pakatan Rakyat government who gave the conditional approval in 2012 despite strong objections and more than three and half years on, it is also the same government that is inconsistent and indecisive in saying No to Dash in Damansara Perdana.

A new design of the highway through the same alignment is plain manipulation. There are no realignment plans presented by LLM and the concessionaire and they have already made it clear to us that there never would be.

Hence, there is no more discussions. Stop the dilly-dallying and finger pointing. Just walk the talk. We are not your political cards. We are the people who voted for you and now with lives and homes being gambled by your administration!