Stakeholders are hopeful that the recent announcement of the cancellation of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) will mark the end of the road for the tolled highway. David Yoong Lai Hon, chairman of Stakeholders cum Residents Against PJD Link (ScRAP), stated that residents in Petaling Jaya and Bandar Kinrara can now put their concerns to rest regarding issues such as pollution associated with the construction of the expressway. Yoong emphasized the importance of the state government taking further steps to ensure the complete removal of this urban tolled highway from the Selangor State Structure Plan 2035.
Caretaker Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the proposal to build PJD Link, which had received conditional approval, was subject to the submission of environmental, traffic, and social impact assessment reports. He stated that the state government was unsatisfied with the submitted social impact report due to not meeting the conditions set by the government. Therefore, the Selangor government has chosen to cancel the plan to build PJD Link in order to maintain a balance between the people’s interests and Selangor’s economic development and sustainability.
PJD Link is a proposed 25.4km dual-lane tolled elevated expressway that would have connected Damansara to Bandar Kinrara in Selangor.
Yoong called on the federal Pakatan Harapan government to cancel the concessionaire agreement signed by the previous government on April 5, 2022. He emphasized the importance of accountability and transparency in the implementation of public infrastructure projects, stating that direct awards to private developers, even those who fund projects via private financing, should be discontinued. Yoong also urged for improved procurement procedures through open and competitive tenders, as well as increased public consultation before forwarding project proposals.
Derek Fernandez, a lawyer specializing in local government and planning law, supported the decision to scrap PJD Link, highlighting that the decision aligns with policies in the Petaling Jaya local plans. These policies prioritize mass public transport and dual-purpose infrastructure for flood mitigation over elevated intracity tolled highways. Fernandez also noted that elevated highway infrastructure in mature and densely populated cities contradicts sustainable low-carbon city goals.
Ronald Danker, president of the Section 10 Residents Association, commended the decision for saving residents’ homes from being demolished to make way for the highway. Danker suggested focusing on developing more important projects such as a new government hospital or amenities that benefit senior citizens.
The proposal for the highway’s construction received in-principle approval from the Cabinet in November 2017. The state government granted project approval in principle in September 2020, subject to impact assessment reports. PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire for the project, had secured RM922 million in financing from MCC Overseas (M) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of China Metallurgical Group Corporation.
