THE Selangor State Government only facilitates the development of highway projects and has no power to approve such projects.
Selangor infrastructure and agriculture committee chairman Izham Hashim said this during the State wrap-up session at the State assembly. He said the same applies to the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link) Expressway project.
“This is a Federal project. At the state level, we have a monitoring committee under the Selangor Economic Action Council. We have now requested the Social Impact Study. We want to know the objection and what is the mitigation plan,
“To reject or accept a project depends on the benefit for the public. We need to see what the problem is. We have to review the results. The State has no power to approve the project,
“We have to see if the project will cause any issues, such as river pollution
“The final decision is to be made by the Federal Government,” said Izham.
Meanwhile, (PN-Hulu Kelang) Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali said the State must review its statement that it has no power to reject the highway project.
“The State has the right to evaluate if the project causes a burden to the public,” said Azmin.
He said that when he was in government, the project was rejected because the public's views were taken into consideration. He said the Petaling Jaya residents were against the project, and it was rejected.
“The State has power. Do not bend to the Federal Government. We have our responsibility,” said Azmin.
Meanwhile, Izam said the State must examine the study to understand the objection.
“The project is good. The problem is the alignment. If the alignment is not suitable, then it is a no,” said Izam in response to Azmin’s request for a decision on the PJD Link project.
