Dear YB Maria,

Hello YB Maria, I hope you are doing well. My name is Priscilla Ignatius and I am a resident in Section 4, Petaling Jaya. This assertion is in regards to the construction of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD LINK). It is clearly unequivocal that many residents in Petaling Jaya are unhappy of the proposed construction of the highway. It is submitted by PJD LINK SDN BHD that it would stimulate the economic growth of the country and as well as providing more job opportunities. Although these may seem rather advantageous, nonetheless there are many cons if the construction of the highway takes place. Such as it may cause an immense amount of noise pollution during the construction. I am a resident in Section 4, PJ, if the construction is approved, there would be a highway built right in front of the church of Assumption. This is a residential area and it would be a hindrance for the people in Section 4 and other parts in PJ if the construction takes place as we have to bear with the noise for three years. Moreover, it will not be only a nuisance for the residents in PJ, but it would also be a hindrance for the patients in Assunta Hospital which is right next to the Church of Assumption. Furthermore, the people in the church would not be able to worship in peace as the noise of the construction would be rather overpowering. Obviously, the church is not open right now due to the MCO but this is in a span of 3 years and with the vaccinations, things may go back to normal soon.

Moreover, if the highway is built, it is clear that there would be a decline in property value as many people would have a perception that living near a highway would be a nuisance. Lets say if the developer chooses to acquire ones land, they may be pressured to relocate. Even if they do relocate, it would possibly be under duress which is clearly not fair for these people of PJ just because a highway is built in a residential area. Furthermore, it also spoils the beauty and landscape of PJ which also contributes to the property values. Reason being is that thousands of trees would be chopped off and this destroys the exquisiteness of PJ. Climate change is indeed a pressing matter in today’s world and it is imperative that we do not allow anyone to chop down our trees. It would be rather selfish, unjust and inhumane to allow our trees getting chopped off and building highways in residential areas and as well in front of a hospital and a place of worship just to fill their pockets in an unethical and inequitable manner. This should not be tolerated. We are the stakeholders and I submit as a resident in Section 4, PJ that we would suffer a detriment if this highway is built. We hope that the Malaysian Highway Authority and MBPJ disapproves on the construction of this highway.

I urge you, YB Maria to help us and fight hard on this issue. You are the representative of our constituency in Parliament and if Parliament reconvenes, I hope you would be able to bring this issue on a national scale as we, the people in PJ highly oppose the establishment of the PJD LINK highway. I hope to hear from you soon and please let me know if there is any way I could contribute on this issue.

Sincerely,
Priscilla Ignatius
(A resident in Section 4, PJ)

​Article from The Edge by Kang Siew Li. Published on 20210814.

Private construction firm PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd, which is proposing to revive a multi-billion-ringgit highway project across Petaling Jaya, Selangor has yet to get the go-ahead from the Selangor state authorities for the proposed highway. Submission of official documents and applications to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Selangor state authorities are essential for regulatory approval and scheduled to be completed by the second quarter of 2022," its executive director Amrish Hari Narayanan said in a letter to Selve Sugumaran Perumal, the chairman of Section 14 Residents Association, dated Aug 7,2021.A copy of the letter was obtained by The Edge. Amrish was responding to talk that PJD Link (M) had received approval from MBPJ and the Selangor state government on the quiet and without due process. In January, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari reportedly said it was "unfair" for critics of the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) highway to equate the project with the previously scrapped Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex),a comment that PJD Link opponents see as a move in support of the proposed highway. Calling the allegations "baseless" and "entirely false", Amrish said in the letter: "Not only do we need to adhere to stringent regulatory approvals from MBPJ, the Selangor state and federal governments, but our banks will scrutinize every detail to ensure there is full compliance in every aspect."

Still, plans for the proposed high-way have taken a major step forward. Amrish told file Star Metro on July 31 that the company had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority (MH-A) and the Highway Planning Unit under the Works Ministry to proceed with the next Stage Of planning on its alignment.
 
In the letter, Amrish said PJD fink (M) is proposing the alignment of the proposed highway to run along Jalan Penchala and Jalan Sultan (PJ the Federal Highway towards Jalan Professor Khoo Kay Kim (previously known as Jalan Semangat) and Jalan Harapan, and then turning west along the Sprint Highway towards the New Klang Valley Expressway Damansara toll plaza. Mean While, an earlier proposal to follow part of Sungai Penchala's alignment is no longer a favorable option.

"We now have a firm proposed alignment after having substantive discussions With MHA and
other government departments. This represents a small milestone for us," he added. Amrish said the alignment map and proposed exit/entry ramp locations would be released to the public, but he did not disclose the date. He conceded, however, that the Covid-19 pandemic had delayed its plans, including preparation of the traffic, social and environmental impact assessments, as well as engaging the public via townhall meetings.

Private sector initiative with no government subsidies
 
When contacted by Edge, Amrish says he is still unable to determine the cost of the project until the alignment is finalised. The cost of the previous controversial Kidex  project, which was scrapped six years ago by then Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali,was said to be RM2+4 billion. PID Link (M) proposal is to build a 34.3km four-lane elevated express way with eight interchanges over three years. There will also be two toll plazas on the proposed highway — one at Jalan Harapan and another at Kinrara.
 
This is an infrastructure project without any subsidies from the state  or federal government, including the land acquisition cost. We are forking out every sen of our own plus borrowings from private banks" said Amrish in the letter. PJD Link is 70% controlled by businessman Tan Sri Hari Narayanan Govindasamy and his family via private vehicle Noblemax Resources Sdn Bhd. The remaining is held by PJD Link Holdings Sdn Bhd, which is majority-owned by Mansor Salleh@Md Salleh.

PJD Link (M), as the project concessionaire, will be collecting tolls over a period of time to recoup its investment. The proposed highway comes at a time when some existing high-
way concessionaires are not generating enough money to pay back bondholders. On Aug 2, local rating agency Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd had warned that toll-road concessionaire MEX Sdn Bhd's RM1.3 billion sukuk and RMI5O million junior bonds remained at risk for imminent default. " MEX Il faces a  looming repayment of RM68.7 million on Aug 27, followed by a further RM38.2 million on Oct 29.

However it had reported cash of just RM7.8 million in its finance service reserve account at end-May," it said. In the letter, Amrish stated that PJD Link would help ease traffic flow in Section 13 and PJ Sentra], which are fast developing into a new city centre. "PJD Link Will remove many cars from the existing roads at ground/ street level by putting them on the elevated highway, thus traffic will become more manageable at the street level. "For residents living or working around Jalan Templer (Seksyen I, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6), the new highway built along Jalan Penchala Will divert our traffic away from the severely congested Jalan Templer. For vehicles heading southbound to Puchong and Taman Medan, you no longer need to squeeze through the narrow Jalan Templer to gain access to the New Pantai Express- way," he said.
 
Maria Chin Abdullah, Member of parliament for Petaling Jaya, says until the traffic, social and environmental impact assessments are completed, the proposed highway is still a no-go.  'It has to go through a series of consultations from federal to State to council levels plus feedback from the residents," she tells Edge. "As far as I am concerned, we don't need elevated highways in PJ. We need a good public transport system that can take the elderly, the schoolchildren, the shoppers, the workers to the social and economic amenities such as hospitals, market schools and libraries.
 
"I won't deny that we need to resolve the traffic congestion, but there are other ways, for example, a thorough review of our public transport system to increase buses and walkways to Connect buildings like those at Ampang park. There is a serious need to reduce our carbon footprints and not create more to pollute the environment. Besides, when Pakatan Harapan came in as the government (from 2018 to February 2020), We did say 'We wanted to move towards reduction, if not to get rid, of tolls. Our promise to the people must be upheld." 

PRESS RELEASE FROM SAYNOTOPJDLINK.ORG

03 Aug 2021, Petaling Jaya – Residents along the alignment of the proposed PJD Link highway were shocked that a local newspaper had reported that the developer of the PJD Link highway, had received the green light from the authorities to proceed with the next stage of planning. It was reported in The Star Metro (31 July), that PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd had received approval from the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and the Highway Planning Unit (under Works Ministry) even though residents have been told repeatedly that there are no submissions made for the highway at both the Federal and State levels. The proposed PJD Link highway will stretch 34km starting after the NKVE toll plaza on the SPRINT highway in Bandar Utama and will end at the Bukit Jalil highway interchange.     

Residents of Petaling Jaya and Puchong have been in the dark about the status of this highway. The PJD Link highway (which is understood to be almost 85% similar to the KIDEX highway – The EDGE Malaysia) has made residents wonder why a highway that was cancelled in 2015, is now back in the form of PJD Dispersal Link.

Among the many residents affected are those from DUN N36 and 34. These residents have raised their concerns numerous times to ADUN YB Jamaliah Jamaluddin (N36) and ADUN YB Rajiv Rishyakaran (N34). Residents are still waiting for their ADUNs to seek action against the PJD Link highway. A recent petition campaign with hundreds of constituents’ signatures from DUN N36 and DUN 34 were submitted to the ADUNs respectively on 30 July 2021. 

Constituents have sent their demands to both ADUNS and have requested that these be raised at the Selangor State Assembly sitting from 23 Aug – 06 Sept 2021 in light of the latest report about the PJD link highway’s status. According to the feedback received to the website, many constituents of the ADUNs are disappointed that their ADUNs have not been doing enough to stop the highway. This had resulted in residents having little choice than to petition their own ADUNs.

The petition campaign is currently available at www.saynotopjdlink.org and is open for all residents to petition their respective ADUNs. A map of the initial proposed highway alignment is available for the public to view on the website, while waiting for the official alignment to be made public by the developer. 1334 online protests have already been received and are growing by the day.

As reported in the media article where selected resident groups have met with the developer, saynotopjdlink.org slams any resident groups that have negotiated with the developer. Do not let your negotiations and concessions bring anxiety to other neighbouring communities. The only reply needed is “Say No to PJD Link”.
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Residents affected want the Selangor Menteri Besar and Selangor state government to commit to carrying out a transparent process, including holding extensive and detailed public hearings to gather feedback and objections to the project before any decisions are considered regarding the highway.

PJD Link gets green light for next stage By AIDA AHMAD (THE STAR METRO NEWS)- Saturday, 31 Jul 2021. Original article can be found here.

THERE is now an optimised alignment for the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal (PJD) Link elevated highway.
PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd executive director Amrish Hari Narayanan told StarMetro that they had received the green light from the authorities to proceed with the next stage of planning on the alignment.

The authorities referenced are the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and the Highway Planning Unit under Works Ministry. However, this is not the final alignment, said Amrish. “It will be finalised after we incorporate the public’s feedback and instructions from the authority as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and Social Impact Assessment (SIA), which are still in preparation.

“In short, we have come up with a firm proposal based on comprehensive technical considerations and engagement sessions with the authorities, as well as with community leaders,” he said. “We are spending more time listening and engaging with all stakeholders, including community leaders, and fine-tuning the project to ensure the benefits are fully optimised,” he added. Amrish said they would make this information available soon to solicit feedback from the general public.

In February, StarMetro published a report that two possible routes for PJD Link were being discussed. The first plan is a route which starts at Bandar Utama and passes over Jalan Harapan towards the Sungai Penchala river reserve in Section 14, connecting to Petaling Jaya Old Town and ending in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong.

The second plan, proposed by a small group of residents, suggests that the highway pass over Jalan Harapan, Jalan Khoo Kay Khim and Jalan Utara before going through Petaling Jaya New Town, which will then connect to Petaling Jaya Old Town and end in Bandar Kinrara, Puchong.
Amrish said that due to the Covid-19 pandemic and National Recovery Plan, preparation of the EIA, TIA and SIA was taking much longer than anticipated.

He added that they had met with various residents groups, mainly in Petaling Jaya, since early this year to listen to their concerns about the PJD Link. Among them was the Section 14 residents association (in March). “They were concerned as to whether PJD Link would affect their property value as well as cause unacceptable levels of noise and pollution along with other forms of anxieties. “We shared with them our plans to mitigate those impacts when building the new highway, not just through Petaling Jaya but also for Puchong.”
While Selangor government and Federal Government have yet to approve the PJD Link, a group of residents has questions over news that external financing is taking place by the developers.

The coalition against PJD Link Highway leader Sheikh Moqhtar Kadir said they were shocked to learn from a news report in a Chinese daily that the developer claimed that the project was approved by both Federal and state governments, and that developers had sought the help of foreign financiers for the project.

“Based on that alone, Selangor government should investigate and highlight the truth of the matter, considering the PJD Link project has yet to be approved,” said Sheikh Moqhtar.
“There have been no townhall meetings to address this.
“The majority of Petaling Jaya residents are objecting to this project because it is not beneficial to us living here. “At this juncture, we need to discuss this with Selangor Mentri Besar as soon as possible, although the pandemic has minimised chances for us to do so,” he added.
Protest website

Meanwhile, online petitions against PJD Link are now available on the “Say No to PJD Link” website — www.saynotopjdlink.org A resident from Section 17 who was part of the group (comprising residents from different areas of Petaling Jaya) that launched the website, said it was set up to benefit people living in high-rise buildings who could put up virtual protest banners against the project. “It is for individual residential property owners and individual business owners. “Residents who live in condominiums can now protest without the physical banner,” said the spokesperson who declined to be named. Those who want to submit their petition to the virtual map can now do so on the website. “We hope the message on this website will be loud enough for the elected representatives to see that we do not want this highway,” said the spokesperson.

Visitors to the website can click on the map icons to view information and the various petitions received.“Due to pandemic restrictions, we cannot go from door to door to explain what PJD Link is about and our reasons for protesting,” the spokesperson added.