APPROVALS for highways mentioned in the 2015 Budget will only be given if the Selangor state government’s strict guidelines are followed. Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali said that studies, such as traffic impact assessments, social impact assessments and environmental impact assessments, must be conducted. The project should also benefit highway users and residents nearby while taking into consideration the best alignment of the highways. He also demanded for the public disclosure of toll rates and the estimated return of investment (ROI) from the projects. “Concession agreements must also be revealed to the public. It must not be bound with the Official Secrets Act 1972,” he said in reply to a question from Rodziah Ismail (PKR-Batu Tiga). Azmin said those involved in any form of development in Selangor must adhere to every process and procedure set by technical agencies. This includes those from the Urban Planning and Rural Development Department, Public Works Department, Malaysian Highway Authority , Department of Environment and other relevant local councils. “This is to ensure the safety of the people from the risk of hazards such as pollution and accidents.” “The public’s opinion must also be taken into account, as it involves taxes which will be paid by them.” Instead of favouring concessionaires, he proposed that the Federal Government should practice fair agreements without bias and put public interest as their top priority. Azmin also echoed a criteria set by his predecessor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim in insisting that an early termination clause be included in all highway concession agreements by the Federal Government to allow the agreements to be terminated earlier if the companies reach its projected profits earlier than the end of the concession period. In Selangor, four highway projects were highlighted in the 2015 Budget by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. They are the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway (SUKE), West Coast Expressway (Taiping-Banting), Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road (KLORR) and Damansara-Shah Alam Elevated Expressway (DASH). He said the state government had yet to finalise anything regarding the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (KIDEX) and had asked the Malaysian Highway Authority to hold more dialogues and town hall meetings to share information on the highway with all stakeholders. nst.my/node/58720?m=1
Posted on: Wed, 03 Dec 2014 11:17:45 +0000
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