500 rally against Kidex, DASH

PETALING JAYA: About 500 residents today gathered at Dataran PJ to rally against the proposed Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) and Damansara-Shah Alam Highway (DASH).
Mak Khuin Weng, a committee member of anti-tolled highway groups Say No To Kidex (SNTK) and Say No To Dash (SNTD), said the groups are firmly against tolled highways running through highly-populated Petaling Jaya and Damansara.
He said both highways were planned without public consultation or compliance with requirements of the Town and Country Planning Act.
"Despite the lack of transparency, the projects are being considered by both the federal and state governments.
"Neither has acknowledged the numerous reports that show studies for both highways are incomplete and misleading," Mak said at the rally.
One such report is an independent evaluation done by the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, which found that proximity to a major highway can have adverse health effects on children due to long-term exposure to elevated air pollutant levels.
"Kidex will be 5m from two schools, 7m from a mosque and 10m from houses while DASH is merely 10m from houses and a church.
"The evaluation also confirmed that Kidex lacks clear justification, presents unevaluated and serious health risks to children, and is based on a faulty study and analysis," Mak said.
Instead of addressing these concerns, Mak said, the Works Ministry passed the buck to the state government.
"We hope both can consider some of our demands. For the federal government, any proposal for a highway must first show that alternative public transport is not a viable solution.
"For the state government, we hope it will reject any projects that are not done through open tenders and reject any tolled-highways proposed, as stated in its election manifesto," he added.
A heated argument broke out between members of two groups and elected representatives when the latter were not allowed to address the rally.
Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua said it is untrue that Pakatan Rakyat had reneged on its promise to disallow tolled highways.
He reiterated Pakatan's objection to Kidex and said Mentri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali had never stated that he supported the project.
In fact, Pua said, if Kidex could not fulfil the three conditions laid out by Azmin by the Feb 15 deadline, the state government will not even consider the proposal.
Azmin had stated last year that Kidex must disclose details of its concession agreement, detailed proposed toll rate, and present a thorough traffic impact assessment to prove that the project will benefit residents as claimed.