The Selangor Select Committee on Local Councils has started investigations on allegations that two controversial highways have been incorporated into the Subang Jaya City Council's (MPSJ) local plan without following due process.

The addition of the two highways - Serdang-Kinrara-Putrajaya Expressway (Skip) and Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex)- are being investigated alongside allegations that zoning in USJ 10 and USJ 7 were altered without following procedures.

Committee chairperson Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the investigation report would be completed in time for submission to the Selangor State Legislative Assembly during its next sitting in November.

 

"We started off by looking at the local plan of MPSJ, and then from there we worked on the complaints that we received from the assemblypersons and the public," Nik Nazmi told reporters today.

Among those called to the bipartisan committee’s first hearing on the matter today were state exco member for local government Teng Chang Kim, exco member for housing Iskandar Abdul Samad, and representatives from MPSJ and the Selangor Town and Country Planning Department.

Committee members who were present at the hearing were Lembah Jaya assemblyperson Khasim Abdul Aziz, Ijok assemblyperson Dr Idris Ahmad, Morib assemblyperson Hasnul Baharuddi, Kota Damansara assemblyperson Halimaton Saadiah Bohan, Bukit Gasing assemblyperson Rajiv Rishyakaran ( left ) and Balakong assemblyperson Eddie Ng.

Nik Nazmi said there would be at least one or two more hearings on the two highways alone, before the committee arrives at a conclusion.

However, it has yet to decide on whom to call to testify at the next hearings.

'Up to state government to decide on findings'

He also declined to discuss the findings of the committee so far, stressing that it was an ongoing investigation and the findings and recommendations of the committee would only be made public when its report is tabled in the state assembly.

From there, Nik Nazmi said, it would be up to the state government whether to adopt the recommendations.

Meanwhile, Rajiv said the committee's work, along with that of eight other select committees in Selangor, showed that democracy “is more alive” in the state because it provides check-and-balance on the executive.

"In Parliament, there are no select committees on issues such as education, health, security, and so on, even though there are many ministers in those areas," Rajiv added.