Hear the people of Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur

The consultants investigating the highway project at Sri Petaling should submit the report as soon as possible.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw, DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong believes that the affected people should be treated fairly.

Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Malaysian Highway Board are appointing consultants respectively to study the effects of the construction of the elevated highway at the Bandar Baru (New Town)Sri Petaling on the environment, especially the cracks on some of the houses.

On 16 April, 2005, the Malaysian Government appointed the contractor, Kosortium Lapangan Terjaya Sdn Bhd (KLT) to build the Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya-Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) highway. The concession agreement between the Works Ministry and KLT was signed on 22 October, 1997. But, on 29 December 1998, the Ministry informed KLT that the project was deferred.

On 2 July, 2002, the Government reactivated the project and on 28 October, 2003 the Ministry had an additional agreement with KLT. The project is to build the highway from KL to Putrajaya.

In 2003, KLT had an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) that recommended acquisition of the houses nearby or elevation of the highway. It has chosen the latter.

Before KLT began works in Sri Petaling, it conducted a survey at Jalan 2/149 between 30 April, 2005 and 28 May, 2005.

Meanwhile, KL City Hall approved the Sri Petaling housing plan on 12 April 1976. By 1996 when the KL-Putrajaya highway project was mooted and then deferred, the developer had built the houses along the alignment of the highway. Zones L and N are affected by the highway. The Development Order for the zones was issued on 16 April, 1996.

KLCH has known about the project since 1996 and the Highway Board, which acts as the regulator, has EIA and survey of the affected zones. Nevertheless, several houses along the alignment of the highway show severe cracks.

All concerned should hear the people affected by the RM 1.3 billion project. Let there be justice.