Selangor not part of Kidex concession deal, highway builder says
(Malay Mail Online) – The Selangor government is not party to the concession agreement for the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex), its developer said today, signalling it plans to push ahead with the controversial RM2.42 billion project.
In a statement, Kidex Sdn Bhd pointed out that the only parties to the concession agreement are the federal government and the company.
“We are now awaiting feedback from the Government as it is a party to the agreement.
“Meanwhile, we will continue with our engagements with the state government,” Kidex Sdn Bhd said after the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat (PR) government announced it is rejecting the proposed highway.
Kidex Sdn Bhd also pointed out that concession agreement deadline had been extended “for a further period of nine months” from February 15 to November 14.
Earlier today, Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin said the highway developer failed to meet terms his administration had set before a February 14 deadline, which was why the state government was axing the project.
He said Kidex did not disclose various reports for the project such as a traffic impact assessment, a social impact assessment and an environmental impact assessment, besides failing to reveal the toll rates and full concession agreement.
“Since not one of these conditions was met by Kidex before the deadline, the Selangor government has therefore decided to announce the cancellation of the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex).
“The same approach will be used to consider the applications of approval for other highway projects under the purview of the Selangor government,” Azmin added.
The state’s move to cancel the RM2.42 billion highway project came after Selangor residents held a protest last month against Kidex and the Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (Dash) highway project.
Former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim had lent his support and even suggested that unhappy residents sue Kidex and Dash developers to halt the projects.
An independent review of Kidex by MDS Traffic Planners and Consultants showed last month that the project suffered from a poor planning process between various government levels, besides highlighting concerns of the highway encroaching homes and public buildings like schools and hospitals.
Among the areas that could be affected by the Kidex project are Tropicana Mall, SS2 Mall, Rothman’s traffic lights, Section 14, Amcorp Mall, Hilton, Petaling Jaya, Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital, Jalan Templer roundabout, Taman Datuk Harun, Taman Medan Baru and Bandar Kinrara.
