‘Dear Kidex CEO, What immense benefits?’

GUEST COLUMNISTS
By admin-s

20140516_PEO_KIDEX TOWN HALL MEETING12_SAM_1

KIDEX Sdn Bhd CEO, Dato’ Mohd Nor Idrus, continues to make unsubstantiated claims about the benefits of the controversial expressway while ignoring vital questions.

David Yoong, fz.com

Recent media articles in Rakyat Post and theSun Daily featuring statements by KIDEX CEO, Dato’ Mohd Nor Idrus suggest KIDEX will bring about “immense spillover economic benefits” to the Petaling Jaya-Puchong area.

These and other previous claims by KIDEX representatives remain unsubstantiated by publicly available evidence or studies.

PROJECT COSTS

  • Mohd Nor does not explain how Kidex would provide “immense spillover economic benefits”.
  • High project cost (RM2.4 billion probably highest per kilometer in Malaysia) is downplayed with “this is more of a private financial initiative where the funding comes from us while the government only contributes in terms of land acquisitions.”
  • Public will pay twice: giving up land and homes, schools and businesses along alignment, then eventually paying more than RM2.4 billion in toll charges over concession period, if Kidex and its financiers are to turn in a profit.

TRAFFIC CONGESTION AND POOR CONNECTIVITY

  • Mohd Nor claims KIDEX would ease traffic congestion (up to 20% from local roads, and 20% from LDP). Several other contradictory claims have been made in earlier reports (Sun Daily March 31 and Star April 21), but KIDEX and the Federal Government have not released studies for public scrutiny.
  • KIDEX is not connected directly with certain highways as claimed eg Federal Highway and SPRINT. Connection is via existing residential roads already highly congested (ramps down to Jalan Utara and Jalan Barat to FHR2, and ramp up from Jalan 16/11, not SPRINT.) Other connections to Lebuh Bandar Utama and Jalan Kinrara 1 pose same adverse effects. Jalan Utara serves as a major ambulance route to University Hospital; added traffic discharge from Kidex upstream will threaten current usage.
  • KIDEX claims 11,000 small trucks and lorries would be diverted to use it daily. This will funnel the vehicles onto residential roads (eg link to LDP via Jalan Damansara, or Lebuh Bandar Utama).
  • KIDEX has about one-tenth of connection points compared to LDP between same start and end points, countering suggestions by KIDEX it will serve users, while increasing risks of more choke points at limited on / off ramps, plus jeopardize accessibility of emergency vehicles for rescue operations on the skyway (ambulances, fire engines).
  • Claims that KIDEX serves as an “alternative route” to LDP (PEIA page 10-1) would at best mean vehicles transiting from one end to the other, driving over established residential areas at high speeds and elevations.

LAND ACQUISITION AND OTHER HAZARDOUS EFFECTS

  • Mohd Nor claims land acquisition will be minimal (about 60 residential lots affected), but not only displaced residents are affected.
  • Preliminary EIA confirms the skyway will further exacerbate noise above legally permissible levels for four of five sections (page 6-28).
  • Aesthetic impacts, looming concrete structures casting shadows over homes and businesses, scarring skyline.
  • Environmental damage, threatening long-existing umbriferous blooms of trees and greenery. PEIA confirms “deterioration and / or alteration of scenic view with the inclusion of expressway into the scenery”, “dull and unattractive design of piers and viaducts”, “shaded zones below the expressway” and “viewing obstruction of buildings such as business premises from potential customers” (page 6-38).
  • Health and other well-being impacts on surrounding communities in Selangor and the serene and peaceful residential character of many affected areas.
  • Safety hazards resulting from heavy vehicles crashing through high-impact concrete parapets (designed for 8-tonne lorry travelling at 80 to 100kph), spilling over and plunging to the ground.
  • KIDEX will pass close to schools and sensitive sites. Of note are SK Sri Petaling and SMK (L) Bukit Bintang which are listed at only 5 metres from the highway after land acquisition, and Masjid Tun Abdul Aziz at 7 metres (PEIA page 5-12).

ECONOMIC EFFECTS

  • Contrary to Mohd Nor’s claims, PEIA confirms that proximity to KIDEX can “result in the property being less than desirable and a consequent drastic drop in property value, whether it is a residential or industrial unit” (pg 6-38).
  • Potential customers flying through elevated skyway will likely bypass business premises below, with no direct access connections.
  • Reliance on private vehicles versus public transportation “has adverse effects on the economy. It increases subsidy expenditures, the economic burden on families, pollutes the environment and contributes to congestion”; and toll highways increase price of goods (Pakatan Rakyat, Buku Jingga Manifesto pages 19 and 24).

BROADER CONCERNS IGNORED
Dato’ Mohd Nor’s press comments fail to address the many broader concerns that are mobilising growing numbers of ordinary people, and also local and State officials in Selangor, to oppose KIDEX.  In addition to the issues above, he does not address concerns about:

  • Monopoly control of infrastructure. The present State government committed to tackle monopolies in the “energy, telecommunications, transportation, water supply and primary goods sectors” stating that concessions that benefit certain parties and burden the people “shall be abolished” (Manifesto Rakyat page 22).  KIDEX runs counter to this commitment.
  • Impact of tolls on the price of goods. The people voted in the State government based on promises they would oppose toll highways.  The Manifesto Rakyat confirms the “intention of gradually abolishing tolls” and confirms that “abolishing tolls will help to reduce the price of goods.” KIDEX runs counter to this commitment.
  • Loss of public transportation corridors. KIDEX risks denying Selangor the public transportation corridors it needs for modern public transportation that cuts congestion, improves mobility, protects the environment, advances the economy and helps the people. Again, the current State government committed to promote public transport. KIDEX runs counter to this commitment.

A CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY
These concerns raised by residents have not been addressed by Dato’ Mohd Nor or by the Federal Government which has proposed this project. Nor has the Selangor MB Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim given the people a hearing despite being requested three times.

By continuing to make expansive claims about the benefits of KIDEX without providing any evidence to back them up, KIDEX CEO just raises new questions and concerns about the project’s real impact, and about the absence of transparency and due process surrounding it.

A first step in proper public consultations is the full release by KIDEX and Government of all studies on KIDEX, to enable the public, local and State officials to have a reasonable and rational discussion with all relevant information before them. The repeated failures to heed these requests made by the public, and by some elected officials at the local and State level, only risk adding fuel to the fire growing about KIDEX and how it is being handled by those in power.

For more information see: www.facebook.com/saynokidex

David Yoong is the Secretary of the Say No To KIDEX group.



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