Melvin is worried his Damansara Jaya house will be acquired for the highway, which will pass in front of the property.
Melvin David, 42, fears his double-storey terrace house in Damansara Jaya, Petaling Jaya in Selangor, may be acquired for the proposed Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link).
“I attended a focus group for the PJD Link and learned that this highway might pass by my house and there was a chance my property would be acquired.
“I do not want to lose my house or have this PJD Link in front of it,” he said.
David said he had put great effort to soundproof his house as it was near the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE).
“An elevated highway will bring more noise.
“Also, if my house is acquired, I will not be able to buy another property in the same area as it will be too expensive,” he said.
Halimaton Saadiah Hassan from Vista Lavender apartments in Taman Kinrara, Puchong, said her apartment was 20 years old and had its fair share of defects.
She worries a highway passing by the main road facing her apartment will further damage her property.
“Who will be responsible for the damage? We do not want this highway,” she said.
She added that the residents of the 1,890 apartment units feared more traffic congestion.
PJD Link Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Amrish Hari Narayanan said any acquisition of private land and compensation would be carried out strictly in accordance with the Land Acquisition Act 1960.
The Act sets out all the procedures to be followed in the acquisition of land in Malaysia, assessment of compensation and any other matters relating to land acquisition.
“Compensation for private landowners has to be assessed fairly,” he said, adding that the process was lengthy.
“The purposes of acquisition must be clearly set out and fall under the specific requirements of the Act,” said Amrish.
“Adequate notice will be given to all registered owners and any party with interest in the land.
“Assessment will be carried out by the Land Administrator to determine the value of any compensation,” he elaborated.
“Landowners dissatisfied with the assessment of compensation can submit a claim to the Land Administrator, who may then refer the matter to the High Court for determination.
“We share the concerns of the residents and want to minimise as much as possible the number of houses to be acquired.
“The process of acquiring the house and the compensation will follow the established procedures of the local authorities,” he added.
On the issue of construction, Amrish said they would ensure that piling works and other construction activities would not result in excessive vibrations.
As for disturbance from piling, which could cause harm to existing property or structures, he said low-impact energy methods such as the reversed circulation drilling oscillatory method would be used.
He said that prior to construction of the highway, a professional building surveyor would check the condition of all the property within the planned highway alignment.
“The property will be photographed and recorded.
‘While the construction of the highway is not expected to cause any damage to buildings, any complaints or claims can be submitted at first instance to PJD Link for assessment.
“PJD Link remains committed to ensuring any complaint and feedback is addressed quickly and properly.
“To ensure current access is not disrupted, a dedicated traffic management team will be stationed at the site, fully equipped with signage, barriers and traffic safety equipment,” said Amrish.
