The Selangor state government, led by caretaker Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, has officially rejected the application for the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) project. The decision was announced on Monday (July 31) due to the administration’s dissatisfaction with the proposed plans, particularly regarding the project’s social impact on the residents of Petaling Jaya.
Amirudin Shari stated that the project’s approval at the federal level was conditional upon meeting all the requirements set by the Selangor state government. The concession agreement signed between the project’s developer and the federal government on April 5, 2022, stipulated a comprehensive assessment of environmental, social, and traffic impacts before the project could proceed.
The proposed 25.4km elevated highway, which would cut through Petaling Jaya, has drawn comparisons to the now-defunct Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex). Kidex was rejected in 2015 by the Pakatan Rakyat state government due to the developer’s failure to submit impact assessments within the specified timeframe.
Amirudin Shari emphasized the administration’s principle of achieving a balance between sustainable economic development and the welfare of the people of Selangor. However, the social impact report provided by the project’s developer did not meet the state government’s requirements, leading to the rejection.
The PJD Link project had previously received approval in principle from the federal cabinet on Nov 12, 2017. Subsequently, the proposal was presented to the Selangor state economic action council on Sept 3, 2020, where studies involving Petaling Jaya residents were allowed. The final approval from the federal cabinet was contingent on the green light from the Selangor state.
The announcement of the project’s rejection coincides with the upcoming state election on Aug 12, involving Selangor and five other states. Petaling Jaya, with three state seats and a significant number of voters, has been a stronghold of the Pakatan Harapan coalition, which has faced challenges from the opposition Perikatan Nasional (PN) in recent elections.
The PJD Link’s concession holder, PJD Link (M) Sdn Bhd, secured RM922 million in funding on June 6 to develop the project, with MCC Overseas (M) Sdn Bhd as the project contractor. Additionally, PJD Link (M) has proposed a reverse takeover of Practice Note 17 company Scomi Energy Services Bhd, with due diligence expected to be completed by Sept 15. At present, shares of Scomi Energy remain unchanged at half a sen, valuing the company at RM2.34 million.
