What’s your stand on KIDEX, Tony Pua?

Michael Kum, fz.com

We thank you, YB Tony Pua, for attending the last meeting of PJ residents on 9 May, at the Section 4 Rukun Tetangga base. As you may have noticed in the past month, a lot of developments from both pro-Kidex and anti-Kidex teams have surfaced.

At this point, we the Rakyat just want to ask your kind and direct opinion. Are you bold enough to put down your stand, and speak the truth?  As you have noticed, PJ Selatan MP YB Hee Loy Sian has clearly made a stand that he is firmly against Kidex. In this respect, many ADUNs are making their stand clear e.g. Bukit Gasing rep YB Rajiv Rishyakaran (his statement: Will not support Kidex today or any other day), Kinrara rep, YB Ng Sze Han, Kampung Tunku rep, YB Lau Weng San, Damansara rep YB Yeo Bee Yin, Taman Medan rep Pn. Haniza binti Mohd Talha, MP Puchong YB Gobind Singh.

However, we would like to hear from you direct.

Now YB, my old folks’ home is based in Petaling Jaya Sea Park. Therefore as a PJ Utara member, I wish you will address this to us. At the 9 May meeting, you clearly mentioned, that you agreed with 80% of SNTK’s (Say No To KIDEX) presentation content! Do you also remember that you did mention that evening that you will hold (Menteri Besar Abdul) Khalid (Ibrahim) to his words regarding Kidex’s development?  YB, you also mentioned that if the alignment changes, then you may support Kidex.

When others have spoken why are you silent?

But let us ask you – if the Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA) clearly mentions  that in a densely populated and mature city like Petaling Jaya, where at least 80.28% is within 5km of the corridor and is near urban and associated areas – how can the alignment be shifted? We also have very experienced resident engineers in the SNTK team – and based on our study, this cannot be done. We also have all the past drawings, also the PEIA documents that are online. We are not asking you to take sides. We are asking – since every ADUN along this Kidex corridor has spoken out, why are you still silent?

For your information, we Rakyat feel violated, and facing much distress, that a proposed gargantuan highway such as this monstrosity could happen. That until this juncture, we still do not have any detailed information about it, and the thought that it will loom over our heads is un-imaginable.  Our basic rights, dignity of our land titles, and particularly elderly folk’s peace and quiet in Section 5 P.J. are being taken away. These older folks are traumatized by uncertainty, of possibly being evicted of their homes, and neighborhood that they have known all their lives.

At this point, many internet portals are pro-actively carrying this topic. We are not against development, and are all for it – in the form of better, end to end, progressive transport methods. Other larger, wider and denser metropolitans have solved their own city resource management with better links of buses, rail, and connectivity.  We certainly do not need more highways – but according to MB YAB Tan Sri Khalid’s big plan, six more such highways are in the works! This Kidex is controversial  – as it costs many times more than existing highways and only stand to benefit point to point users; instead of the dense Section areas of Petaling Jaya – and yet the company says that it benefits the Rakyat, without the affirmative documents.

You mentioned that this is under Federal government purview of which PR has not control. We wish to inform, that talk is cheap. Show us – that PR too can design better public transport concepts and project manage these ideas.  Show BN – by proposing better and more practical transportation concepts, and cost effective measures of such. We did mention of an alternative route on top of existing LDP, or a tunnel based loop under LDP.

Meanwhile, we earnestly await your reply.

Michael Kum is Assistant Chairman of the Petaling Jaya Residents Association, Section 14/ 1 to 14 / 15