PUTRAJAYA: The Works Ministry plans to meet with Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali soon to discuss the state’s public development projects following the cancellation of the controversial Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project.

Works Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusuf, in a BH Ahad report yesterday, said since the highway project had been scrapped, the ministry is eager to find out if the state government has any alternative solutions to offer.

He said the items on the agenda include efforts to tackle traffic congestion in the state and other projects beneficial to the people.

“We will talk about the highway and other development projects planned by the federal government for Selangor,” he was quoted as saying in the Malay daily.

“For the federal government, we always want the best for the people. If the people feel that Kidex is not suitable, we want to know what is,” he said.

On Feb 16, Mohamed Azmin announced the cancellation of the Kidex project following what he described as the concessionaire’s failure to comply with three conditions set by the state government before a Feb 14 deadline.

These included an independent Traffic Impact Assessment, Social Impact Assessment and Environmental Impact Assessment to prove the project would be beneficial to residents.

Mohamed Azmin said on Saturday that the state government would not reconsider the cancellation of the highway project. He said the decision to cancel the project had been confirmed in line with the state jurisdiction over land development and approval of any project planning.

He added that the decision was consistent with the state government’s stand to take a decisive action against any developer’s failure to meet its conditions, including ensuring the welfare of the people of Selangor. — The Malaysian Insider

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on March 2, 2015.