Joint
Media Statement by Yeo Bee Yin, Rajiv Rishyakaran, Ng Sze Han and Lau Weng San,
State Assemblypersons of Damansara Utama, Bukit Gasing, Kinrara and Kampung
Tunku.
We believe that the corridor for the proposed alignment of KIDEX
(Kinrara-Damansara Expressway) will better be used as a public transport line.
KIDEX
is a 14.9km elevated highway project, worth RM2.2 billion, which aims at
connecting the north and south of Klang Valley. While we welcome more highways
to be built as Klang Valley develops, we believe that the current proposed
alignment is a good corridor for public transport line instead of a highway.
Current
alignment if made into a public transport line - Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), Light Rapid
Transit (LRT) or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), is able to provide greater
connectivity to the current public transport network, with possible
interchanges with MRT Line 1, LRT Kelana Jaya Line, LRT Ampang Line and KTM
Commuter (see attachment).
Taking
up the airspace for the construction of the KIDEX highway will deny the people
of Petaling Jaya and Puchong a future public transport link at this particular
corridor. This is a spatial opportunity cost lost.
KIDEX
is an elevated highway that cut through densely populated and matured
residential areas in Petaling Jaya and Puchong and its construction requires
acquisition of about 300 plots of land. Putrajaya must prove to the people of
Petaling Jaya and Puchong, who are the biggest stakeholders of the project,
that the highway project will indeed benefit them more than a public transport
project.
Therefore,
we urge the federal government to do comparative studies between a highway and
public transport line at this particular corridor. KIDEX should also study
other alternative alignments. If a highway with the proposed alignment is found
to be best option for Klang Valley traffic, then we hope that KIDEX can provide
more convincing traffic impact assessment with facts and figures to justify
that. At the moment, we have yet to receive traffic impact assessment from
KIDEX despite making several requests.
We
acknowledge the need for more highways for traffic dispersal as Petaling Jaya
and the Klang Valley grows and develops. However, this should not be done on an
ad-hoc manner, as with KIDEX planning, but through holistic planning for the
Klang Valley road infrastructure, for example Klang Valley traffic master plan.
Only
with a holistic traffic master plan that we know which location is best for
what transport mode at Klang Valley and only with that the city can development
in a more sustainable manner, realizing the full potential of the land value.
