Photo: RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
SCHOOL representatives in Petaling Jaya and Puchong are against the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) as it would create a non-conducive learning environment for their students.
Representatives from Petaling Jaya which consists of SJKC Chung Wah, SMK (L) Bukit Bintang, SK Sri Petaling and from Puchong, SJKT Kinrara are deeply concerned about the highway alignment.
They raised their concerns at a gathering organised by stakeholders cum Residents Against PJD Link (SCRAP Team), Persatuan Petaling Jaya Lestari, and the saynotopjdlink.org group. The meeting was held at the DJROA Centre in Petaling Jaya on Saturday (July 15) afternoon.
Teacher U. Sharvin, 26, from SJKT Kinrara, Puchong is concerned about the well-being of his students if the highway project were to take place. His family has been living in Kinrara for five generations and he feels the highway project would have a detrimental impact on the students and residents. He said the Tamil school has been around for 105 years.
“We are still recovering from the effects of Covid-19 in terms of children's education and their social well-being. A huge project like this will affect the children's focus and the teaching process due to all the noise during and after the highway is completed,” he said. He added that the news of the highway has brought public anxiety and the information about the highway must be explained in other languages besides English depending on the crowd for better understanding.
SMK (L) Bukit Bintang alumni representative Yap Hock Hoe said if the highway is built, their school field will be replaced by a toll plaza. He said the Education Ministry and government should reject the project.
“How can the students learn in an environment that is noisy? The school will be badly affected and the impact will be severe to the school in terms of noise and pollution,” said Yap.
He added that the highway project will take away the school’s old hall which is strongly objected by the alumni.
The school is 65 years old and has produced several Members of Parliament and a current minister too, he added.
Meanwhile, SJKC Chung Wah Damansara alumni representative Wong Yau King said the school is 93 years old and they have grave concerns over the impact of the construction on their old school buildings.
“We are against this highway as it is too close to our school and our students will not have a good learning environment. The school will also not be able to expand with new buildings if this highway comes along as it will be extremely close to us.
“The authorities must focus on the best interests of the students,” he said.
Also present at the session was former MPs R. Sivarasa, Maria Chin Abdullah, Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung and Selayang MP William Leong.
Leong urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to reconsider the concession agreement as privatisation of highway projects has shown more harm than good in the long run. He said it is the government's responsibility to provide public transport, adding that expensive highways will result in the public having to pay tolls.
Lee said documentation of the highway concession needs to be declassified. He said the government must stand for environmental and social governance.
Sivarasa said the highway project is no national secret and there should be freedom of information.
"A highway project should not be treated as an official secret. The authorities must check on the justification to this highway project,” he said.
Instead of a highway, Maria said the government must focus on other alternatives and all bus routes must be based on needs and increased where necessary.
Stakeholders-cum-Residents Against PJDL chairman David Yoong said the group wants to meet the Selangor state exco and Selangor State Economic Action Council (MTES) in the presence of the MPs that are strongly opposed to this project.
“Too much questionable information has been released by the developer, repeatedly claiming that PJD Link connects directly to other highways, and also public transport stations. The developer must be made to clarify based on the truth,” he said.
PJD Link is a proposed 25.4km dual-lane tolled elevated expressway connecting Damansara to Bandar Kinrara. It will go past several areas in Petaling Jaya, including Jalan Penchala and Jalan Utara.
