A veteran town planner says the Petaling Jaya Dispersal Elevated Highway (PJD Link) should see light, given the current traffic situation in the Klang Valley and the Malaysian culture of not wanting to ditch private cars for public transportation.
Datuk P. Gunasilan, who was previously against the Kinrara-Damansara Expressway (Kidex) project and had been vocal in slamming the authorities for poor execution of city plans, said arguments that the new highway will affect the value of homes, view, or that residents cannot be living next to a mega highway project during construction, are no longer relevant.
“While it is true that new highways will not solve traffic woes in the long run, there are no other options available, as Malaysians are not willing to leave their cars at home for public transportation,” he said.
“Even the Damansara-Puchong (LDP) and the SPRINT Expressways are no longer efficient, because these highways are congested, daily. There is just no solution to this problem,” he lamented.
The PJD Link project has been touted as a revival of the abandoned Kidex project, which was scrapped in 2015.
“Some seven years ago, I supported the move to not have Kidex, but given the amount of time people spend on roads commuting every day, this highway will provide some respite.
“I asked residents in Petaling Jaya before if they were willing to use public transportation, be it the LRT, buses, or e-hailing rides to get to Kepong, but they are not willing to do that.
“Vehicle ownership in Petaling Jaya and Damansara is high. Sometimes, there are four cars per home. The culture of wanting to switch to an alternative mode of transportation does not exist here, because cars are a symbol of wealth,” added Gunasilan, a fellow of the Malaysian Institute of Planners.
The proposed 34.3km PJD Link, which was approved by Cabinet in November 2017, links Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya, to Kinrara, in Puchong. The project will cut through high density residential areas, including several areas in Damansara, Petaling Jaya, and Bandar Kinrara.
On Saturday, more than 100 residents in and around Petaling Jaya, along with elected representatives across divides, had objected to the elevated highway project, saying that it did not meet the Petaling Jaya City Council’s low carbon city plan 2030 and Local Agenda 21.
Residents also claimed the project was against the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, which requires sustainable development plans.
Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah said building highways was the easy way out, and that the authorities should consider alternative traffic management plans and solutions, including cycling lanes, buses and public transportation.
Gunasilan pointed out that the PJD Link was meant to serve those living not in Petaling Jaya, to get to their workplace, including in Puchong.
“These are people who spend hours daily commuting to their workplace.
“Look at the MRT and LRT lines that run through congested areas like Taman Tun Dr Ismail and Taman Bahagia in SS2, Petaling Jaya. The people in these areas have accepted multi-stations running in their areas, so why can’t the people in PJ accept this new highway project?” he asked.
Standing his ground, Gunasilan said traffic congestion was getting from bad to worse, and the only available alternative was for decision-makers to introduce restrictive policies, including regulations that would bring down the number of car owners.
“Singapore’s ERP (Electronic Road Pricing) system may be too strict, but we must nevertheless make it more difficult for people to drive their cars into the city. We must also stop giving petrol subsidies to private vehicle owners.
“The policy of high-density (residential) projects should also stop. Low-density residential projects would mean a lower number of cars, and we will have low vehicle ridership. We must also push for development outside Kuala Lumpur, like Nilai, Rawang, and Tanjung Malim.
“We must also push for employment outside urban areas. It’s the same with the government,” he said.
“We must continue to pursue other options to deal with traffic jams. Malaysia is just a small country with a population of 33 million … we are not like Indonesia, which plans to move its capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan.
“Instead of stopping sickness (traffic jams) by providing temporary relief, the government should stop the sickness once and for all,” he added.
