(Apr 3): Selangor has a strong legal stand in cancelling the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex), said the state's Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali.

He said Kidex was not incorporated into Petaling Jaya's local draft plan and this was one of the reasons the state government decided to cancel the construction of the proposed highway.

"The state government has a strong legal stand by using Section 18(1) of Act 172 which states that no person shall use or permit to be used any land or building otherwise than in conformity with the local plan," he said, referring to the Town and Country Planning Act when answering a query from Meru assemblyman Dr Abdul Rani Othman at the state assembly today.

Azmin said the Selangor government also decided that Kidex would not be incorporated into the Petaling Jaya city council local plan.

"These actions show that Kidex will not be reconsidered and it has been cancelled by the state government," he added.

Although the state government has cancelled Kidex, the status of three other highways in Selangor is still yet to be known, namely the Sungai Besi-Ulu Kelang Elevated Expressway, Damansara-Shah Alam Highway and the Eastern Klang Valley Expressway.

In announcing the cancellation in February this year, Azmin had said the concessionaire – Kidex Sdn Bhd – failed to fulfil the conditions set by the state government by the February 14 deadline.

Kidex Sdn Bhd is owned by the wife of former Chief Justice Tun Zaki Azmi and Umno lawyer Datuk Hafarizam Harun.

Among the conditions set by Selangor were for independent traffic and social impact assessments to prove that the project would benefit not only road users, but also those living along the alignment, as well as the negatives of the project.

It also asked for the full concession agreement to be disclosed in line with Pakatan Rakyat government's thrust on transparency and accountability.

The 26.1km highway was to start from the New Klang Valley Expressway toll above the Sprint highway at the Damansara interchange and end at the Damansara Puchong Highway at Bandar Kinrara Section 2.

Among the areas that could be affected by the 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.

The project's supporters said it would cut down travel time between those areas by 25%. But it faced stiff resistance from residents who said it would worsen congestion and pollute their neighbourhoods. –  The Malaysian Insider