Highway to heaven or to hell for Azmin in Selangor?
Cecilia Jeyanthi Victor, The Ant Daily
While highways usually help travellers to arrive at their destinations after they are built, in the case of Selangor Pakatan and their shiny new menteri besar, how they handle the issue of new highway constructions versus protests by the public may determine the outcome of their survival as the powers that be.
Public outcry over possible adverse environmental impact of poorly planned highway projects seem to have fallen on deaf ears as Works Minister Datuk Fadillah Yusof announced that the authorities will go ahead with several new highways with construction set to begin next year, despite ongoing protests.
It was reported that seven highways are to be constructed; they are the RM1.18bil Duta-Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) extension, the RM5.04bil West Coast Expressway (WCE) from Banting to Taiping, the RM2.5bil Kinrara-Damansara (Kidex), the RM1.5bil Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR), the RM4.18bil Damansara-Shah Alam Expressway (DASH), the RM4.3bil Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE) and the Serdang-Kinrara-Putrajaya Highway (SKIP).
Over the years, there have been a lot of opposition over the Kidex highway. Environmentalist as well as resident associations from areas affected by the construction are outraged as they were not consulted about the project and its approval and specifications seem shrouded in mystery.
The controversial highway project which is scheduled for completion in 2018 is a federal government project and undeniably another crony sweetheart deal which could possibly cause a devaluation of private property for residents, as well as environmental and noise pollution.
Environmentalists had also stated their objection over the proposed East Klang Valley Expressway (EKVE) over the project’s impact on water catchment forests in Selangor.
The proposed highway, they say, will traverse these areas, and will consequently affect the state’s dwindling water supply.
Contacted by theantdaily, Pertubuhan Pelindung Khazanah Alam (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil (pic) stressed the need for more voices to oppose these projects as only then will there be an impact loud enough to halt them.
“We have to garner more voices. I am hoping to get two million signatures to protest against highway projects that are damaging the country’s green lung,”
“Another thing why they want to construct highways is because of shortcuts. Why can’t they do elevated highways on the NKVE? It is just about making money,”
“They should utilise land for housing projects, instead of building more highways,” she opined.
Asked of her expectations from newly elected MB Azmin Ali to deal with such issues as his predecessor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, had expressed support towards the Kidex project despite objection from Selangorians, she expressed little confidence in Azmin,
“At present we don’t have any leaders in power who are interested in stopping the projects. It’s all about how to make money.”
However, Shariffa expressed hope that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak would intervene and do something to scrap the highway projects.
She also stressed the importance of saving the rainforests and to understand the significance of doing so as rainforests amount to 50 percent of the country’s green spaces.
Khalid had been embroiled in the Kidex controversy after he backed the federal government stating the impact of the project towards the community would have already been weighed by the Feds before proposing it.
Accusations towards the MB had mounted after reports surfaced that Khalid might stand to get millions of shares once the project begins next year.
Previously, Pakatan’s elected representatives in areas affected by the highway had voiced their protest and hoped Khalid could understand the anxiety of the residents over the lack of information on the details of the highway alignment.
Now that Khalid is gone and Azmin is in, can he handle the people’s grouses on major highway projects in the Klang Valley?
Azmin had vowed to deal with matters surrounding the controversial Kidex project though it remains to be seen if Selangorians have faith in his promise, though they may be waiting to see if he will prove his worth as MB by keeping his word.
Whatever the case, for Azmin the highway projects in Selangor and how he handles the protests may indeed make or break his performance in the eyes of the people, for in this case it may be the highway to heaven or highway to hell not only for him but also Pakatan when they promised to look into such matters after blaming it on Khalid.
