Thesun 2009-02-25 Page04 Salak Jaya Toll Collection Abolished

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theSun

| WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 25 2009

news without borders

10,000 residents appeal for Wong to be retained port for Wong. “All our friends from these areas wanted to give their support, so we sent a roadshow around,” said Gan. “After the landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa last year, she did a lot of relief work on the ground, such as borrowing generators (for them). So, some residents there also felt that they should come out to support her and they did,” he said. “The community has come out to give moral support to Elizabeth, which is proof that she is a very capable assemblyman. So, we are saying that we should retain her and reject her resignation,” he added. “We want to support her and we want her to remain. One copy (of the petition) will be sent to the PKR leadership, so they know the support from the voters to help them make their decision,” said Gan.

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SHAH ALAM: Some 10,000 residents have put their signatures down on a petition, calling for Elizabeth Wong to remain as the assemblyman for Bukit Lanjan and as the state executive councillor for tourism, consumer affairs and the environment. “Over the past few days, we have collected over 10,000 signatures, both online and on the ground,” said Riana Green Residents Association chairman Bobby Gan. Gan yesterday submitted the petition addressed to Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim from a coalition of residents’ associations. It was received by Khalid’s political secretary, Seri Setia assemblyman Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad. The signature collection campaign had included a roadshow that toured four locations, Bukit Lanjan, Kota Damansara, Bukit Gasing and Bukit Antarabangsa. “We went to these places because there are environmental issues there, and part of her portfolio is to take care of the environment. She has done a lot to preserve the environment,” said Gan, who was accompanied by Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) coordinator Tah Moon Hui. “We got over 5,290 signatures online at our cut-off point on Monday, and over 4,000 signatures from the ground,” said Tah. He added that signatures were still pouring in by mail and fax. Gan said residents from various areas affected by forest and hillslope developments had also expressed sup-

Location plan of the new Besraya extension highway

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Salak Jaya toll collection abolished by Hemananthani Sivanandam [email protected]

Gan (centre) and Tah (left) handing over the petition to Nik Nazmi.

KUALA LUMPUR: The collection at the Salak Jaya toll plaza has been abolished with immediate effect. This is the second toll abolition within 11 days. The first toll was abolished on Feb 13 at PJS2 (Kuala Lumpur-bound) on the New Pantai Expressway. Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed said the cabinet’s decision to scrap the toll collection was timely as it would reduce the burden of residents in the area. Residents have been paying RM1.30 every time they drove towards Kuala Lumpur since May 1999. It is estimated that about 50,000 motorists use the highway daily. Most of the highway users are from the surrounding areas such as Sungai Besi, Kampung Malaysia, Kuchai Lama, Taman Salak Selatan and Kampung Baru Salak Selatan. Mohd Zin also announced that the cabinet has agreed to start constructing an extension of the Besraya Highway costing RM649 million. The extension will be from southbound of Sekolah Tai Thong and Jalan Istana heading towards Pandan Indah and MRR2.

“The MRR1 and MRR2 (Middle Ring Road) has reached its maximum capacity. This extension highway will reduce traffic in areas such as Jalan Istana, Jalan Ampang, Jalan Loke Yew, Jalan Cheras and Jalan Tun Razak,” he said. The 12.3km-long highway will serve as an alternative route to ease traffic congestion heading east of Kuala Lumpur. It is also an alternative route to Kuala Lumpur, by-passing Jalan Tun Razak. Mohd Zin said the Sungai Besi Highway (Besraya) was built to reduce congestion on Jalan Sungai Besi Lama and ease city-bound traffic. However, the highway resulted in traffic congestion in the surrounding residential areas. He also said the location of the Salak Jaya toll plaza was not strategic, as it only worsened traffic flow in areas such as Kuchai Lama and Salak Selatan as motorists preferred to use the toll-free routes in the two areas. When asked about compensation to concessionaire Besraya (M) Sdn Bhd, Mohd Zin said there was no compensation given as the government has agreed to the extension highway. The concession agreement for the Salak Jaya toll plaza only ends in 2032.

He said Besraya will be the official concessionaire for the new highway but the construction tender will be tendered out by LLM (Malaysian Highway Authority). There will be one toll plaza on the new extension highway and Mohd Zin said the toll charges at the new highway will be lower. He said the construction of the highway was a boost for the construction sector given the current economic situation. The cost of the extended highway will be borne by Besraya (M) Sdn Bhd and is to be completed by 2012. Meanwhile, Seputeh MP and Selangor state executive councillor Teresa Kok said the Salak Jaya toll plaza “is the most ridiculous toll plaza in KL because it is actually on a public road meant for all”. “However, I am glad that the government has decided to abolish it. It is a victory to the people and PR (Pakatan Rakyat) as we have been protesting for the abolition of this toll for 10 years,” she said. Kok said the abolition of two toll plazas within a month showed that when there was a check and balance of power, “the people’s wishes can be fulfilled easier”.

Mental patient escapes gallows SHAH ALAM: A mental patient escaped the gallows for the murder of his best friend, when the High Court here yesterday acquitted him of the charge by reason of insanity. Judicial Commissioner Mohd Yazid Mustafa handed down the order after finding Chong Sam Sen, 33, to be hallucinating at the time of the incident. However, he order that Chong be detained at Hospital Bahagia.

In his judgment, Mohd Yazid said that based on a report by a psychiatric consultant at Hospital Bahagia Ulu Kinta, Dr Rabaiah Mohd Salleh, Chong was found to be of unsound mind when he committed the offence and did not realise that the act was unlawful. Chong was charged with murdering Ng Soon Chuan @ Muhamad Ng Abdullah, 42, at house No. 21, Jalan 19/6, Sea Park, Petaling Jaya on Dec 1, 2007.