Emrail Sdn Bhd, a company involved in the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (KIDEX), should give an explanation why it extended its concession agreement with the Federal Government, according to people opposed the project.
Their clarification is needed in light of the company’s unexplained ties in another proposed highway, namely the Petaling Jaya Dispersal (PJD) Link, whose route is similar to that of KIDEX.
“If they (Emrail) are not involved with the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link while still holding on to the (KIDEX) concession agreement, then they may want to sell it, in which case they cannot claim no involvement,” said Mak Khuin Weng, a member of the Say No To KIDEX (SNTK) committee.
In response to queries from residents, Emrail insisted that it is not involved in the PJD Link or its proponent, PJD Link Holdings Sdn Bhd.
However, the address of the firm that submitted the PJD Link proposal is just adjacent to Emrail’s Dataran Prima office and another joint venture partner for KIDEX. Pamphlets for PJD Link also contained Emrail’s office address as contact information, Mak noted.
When they visited PJD Link Holding’s office last week, they were also welcomed by Emrail’s communications staff.
All evidence show that Emrail is lying about its involvement in PJD Link, Mak argued. “Why then did Emrail allow PJD to use their office address in the pamphlet which was distributed to residents?”
The discovery of the PJD Link and the Putrajaya’s confirmation that the KIDEX concession was extended have raised fears that the highway would be built under a different name despite objections from residents.
Moreover, Selangor’s Chief Minister Datuk Seri Azmin Ali had already disapproved KIDEX in February 2015 after its developer failed to submit relevant supporting studies to back the construction, such as assessments on its impact on traffic, residents and environment. It also did not divulge the planned toll rates and full concession agreement.
Notably, the PJD Link consists of a 34.3km dual-carriage expressway with four lanes and eight ramps or interchanges. Similar to KIDEX, this development will serve as an alternative route to the busy Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong highway. PJD Link will start from the intersection of the North Klang Valley Expressway and end at the Bukit Jalil interchange.
Image: Sourced from The Malay Mail Online
Mangalesri Chandrasekaran, Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email mangales@propertyguru.com.my
