PETALING JAYA – Residents here are shocked by the authorities’ decision to proceed with the controversial Petaling Jaya Damansara Link (PJD Link) highway.
Residents were alerted to the matter when Star Metro reported that the highway developer – PJD Link Sdn Bhd – had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and Highway Planning Unit under the Works Ministry to continue works.
The approvals were given despite residents being continuously assured that no submissions had been made for approval to construct the highway at both the federal and state levels.
“The proposed PJD Link highway will stretch 34km starting from the NKVE toll plaza on the Sprint highway in Bandar Utama and end at the Bukit Jalil highway interchange,” the civil society group Say No To PJD Link said in a statement today.
“Residents of Petaling Jaya and Puchong have been in the dark about the status of this highway.
“The PJD Link highway (which is understood to be almost 85% similar to the Kidex highway) has made residents wonder why a highway that was cancelled in 2015 is now back in the form of PJD Dispersal Link.”
Say No To PJD Link comprises individual property and business owners affected by the proposed PJD Link highway.
It said residents in Bandar Utama and Gasing are likely to be affected by the project.
It added that Bandar Utama assemblyman Jamaliah Jamaludin and Gasing rep Rajiv Risyakaran have been alerted by their constituents about their objections to the project.
“Residents are still waiting for their (representatives) to seek action against the PJD Link highway.
“A recent petition campaign with hundreds of constituents’ signatures from Gasing and Bandar Utama were submitted to the state legislative representatives respectively on July 30,” the statement read.
The group also said the constituents have demanded the matter be raised in the next Selangor assembly sitting starting on August 23.
“According to feedback received... many constituents of these state representatives are disappointed that they have not been doing enough to stop the highway (construction),” the group said.
Currently, residents are left with no choice but to petition to their respective assembly representatives, it said.
“The petition campaign is currently available at www.saynotopjdlink.org and is open for all residents to petition their respective assemblymen.” – The Vibes, August 3, 2021
