Azmin, what’s your stand on Kidex?

Cecilia Jeyanthi Victor, The Ant Daily

There seems to be no end in sight to the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) controversy despite Menteri Besar Azmin Ali’s pledge to look into the matter as he has yet to take a concrete stand on the highway project.

Azmin had on Nov 11 reportedly said he would not run away from the “Say No To Kidex” (SNTK) group, stressing he was constantly in touch with them.

The Gombak MP had also said the state government would need to study if Kidex and other controversial expressways, including DASH, were necessary.

Earlier, on Nov 4, Azmin was quoted by the media as saying that the state government would not oppose the highway project and laid down a condition to the developer to comply with Petaling Jaya Local Plans guidelines to ensure the development benefits Selangor residents.

Is Azmin now on the same wave length as his predecessor as Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim who had announced the project would proceed as planned?

Bukit Gasing assemblyman R Rajiv, however, refuted the media report, denying Azmin having ever said.

“No. He did not say such a thing. The media got it all wrong. I was there,” he told theantdaily.

“He did not say that he is supportive of Kidex, neither is he saying he disapproves of Kidex. He has not decided on the project,” said Rajiv, who is against Kidex.

So far,  Azmin has yet to confirm or deny the report, leaving many to question whether the state government is turning its back on its election pledge to abolish tolled highways.

Will Azmin come clean on Kidex? The people of Selangor had high hopes that he would be the change much needed by Selangor, and this included taking a stand on the Kidex issue.

In a recent news report, SNTK committee member Mak Khuin Weng was quoted as saying, “Did PR (Pakatan Rakyat) use us to oust Khalid Ibrahim? Yes. Do they intend to honour what they promised the rakyat? Seems doubtful at this point.

“Azmin Ali and (state DAP leader) Tony Pua seem to have conveniently forgotten what their colleagues promised the people and are stating exactly the same thing Khalid Ibrahim said prior to his ouster.”

In April this year, Azmin had condemned Khalid for deviating from the PR election manifesto, when he said, “A comprehensive study should have been done before any form of agreement was reached.”

He had also questioned the need for the elevated highways to solve traffic problems and suggested Khalid disclose other alternatives his administration had studied before deciding on Kidex.

Clearly his approach to Kidex is not clear, he should make a decision soon.