The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has reminded the Selangor government that work on the proposed RM2.4 billion Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) cannot be carried out unless it obtains prior consent from the affected community.

“If there is no free, prior and informed consent, no project should take place. It will be a breach of human rights,” Commissioner James Nayagam ( right ) said today.

He said this during a meeting with members of the ‘Say No to Kidex’ pro-tem committee, who are seeking Suhakam’s intervention after their grouses to the state government have allegedly gone unheard.

The committee, led by the vice-chairperson Selva Sugumaran and secretary David Yoong, had claimed that the residents were not consulted before the project was given the go-ahead.

Suhakam, Nayagam said, would arrange for and facilitate a meeting between the pro-tem committee, Kidex Sdn Bhd and the Selangor government so that the controversy surrounding the elevated highway, touted to be the most expensive, can be resolved.

Residents say no to monetary compensation

He added there should be sufficient remedy in any organisation or country, should any breach of human rights occur.

When Nayagam asked the residents whether they were seeking monetary compensation, they replied no, as nothing could replace their homes.

Selangor Menteri Besar Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had previously come under fire from the affected residents, as well as from his own Pakatan Rakyat assemblypersons, afer reportedly stating that it would not be fair to the company involved should the project be scrapped due to public objections.

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Kidex Sdn Bhd held a meeting with the affected residents on May 16 to explain the project.

The company explained that the skyway, to be completed in 2018, would serve as an alternative to the LDP, to help ease traffic congestion in PJ by at least 30 percent but this was shot down by the residents.

Selangor MB willing to meet Suhakam

However, the meeting was aborted when angry residents objected to calling it a “town hall meeting” and demanded the project be scrapped.

Kidex CEO Mohd Nor Idrus later said the company cannot decide on the fate of the project, even if enough residents disagreed, as it is up to the state and federal governments to decide.

In immediate response, Khalid said that he was willing to meet with Suhakam on the matter.

"Well, if Suhakam feels that this is part of its task, we are more than happy to open up (the) discussion," Khalid told reporters after chairing the state executive council meeting today.

   

A total of 3,784 lots of land could be subjected to acquisition to make way for the construction of the 14.9-kilometre elevated tolled Kidex skyway, which will cut through several densely-populated areas in Petaling Jaya and Bandar Kinrara.  

For its length, Kidex will be the country’s most expensive highway yet, at a construction cost of RM148 million per kilometre.

Additional reporting by Ahmad Fadli KC