State polls: Vote for Muda to ensure PJD Link stays dead, says Syed Saddiq

PETALING JAYA: Every vote for Muda will help to stop the revival or the rebranding of the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Link (PJD Link), says Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

The Muda president said this after his short talk on Wednesday (Aug 1) afternoon at the Seri Selera MPS food court, where he campaigned for the Muda candidate for Templer, Aida Nazeera Abd Rahman.

On Monday (July 31), caretaker Selangor mentri besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the proposal to build PJD Link, which had received conditional approval, was subject to the submission of environmental, traffic and social impact assessment reports.

Amiurdin said the state government was not satisfied with the social impact report submitted as it did not meet the conditions set by the state government, and that the Selangor government has no intention to proceed with the proposal, and has decided to “cancel” the plan to build the PJD Link.

However, in less than 24 hours, the MB said if the PJD Link developer could fulfil conditions set by the state and appease the people, Selangor would continue with the project.

“Look at the timing of the (PJD cancellation/deferment) announcement. The reports have been sitting on their table for months. Why only reach a decision after the Selangor state assembly has been dissolved and (the state is) being pressured?

“(If) you say it is because of the reports, then disclose the reports that are under the Official Secrets Act (OSA). You (Pakatan) are in charge of the federal and state governments; you cannot say you have no power. You can disclose the report.

“You say you cancel based on the reports, and you do not want to show the report. Then in less than 24 hours, the MB announces that it can be potentially revived if they (the developer) deal with their problems,

“I think in urban Malaysia, both the federal and state governments are taking the voters too lightly. They know the multiracial voter base may not choose Perikatan Nasional and they know Perikatan will not raise this issue,” said Syed Saddiq, who added that Muda was not contesting to split the votes in any constituency.

“I think the last time PAS and Perikatan got only 2% of the vote in Bukit Gasing,” he said, emphasising that Muda is also not intending to be populist by objecting to development for the sake of objecting.

“We don’t want to be populist by just objecting to development but we give arguments. In this case (PJD Link), no one can hide behind the OSA. The state must commission independent reports and not rely on the one hired by the consultant of the developer and that is what we gathered from the anti-PJD Link groups.

“This is a multi-billion ringgit development project and it cannot be dependent only on the State Economic Planning Unit and the Mentri Besar’s approval for it to go ahead.

“We are suggesting that in the future, this sort of project must be passed by the councillors elected through local council elections, and the issue must be debated and voted at the state assembly,” he said, adding this would ensure that there was check and balance.

“There must be debate and discussion. Vote for Muda so that they can be the voice of conscience, and so this highway will not be revived or rebranded,” he said.