Folk puzzled over reports on Jalan Segambut

Source: http://thestar.com.my/metro (By PRIYA MENON, 15/1/2010)

RESIDENTS of Segambut Bahagia are at a loss for words following media reports that they had received offer letters for the acquisition of land in the area. Security guard Bahar Ahmad, 39, is puzzled over the news reports as they had not received any such letters. “Mine is the first house on the stretch. We should receive letters informing us of the acquisition so we can either object or agree to it,” he said. Local Chinese dailies had recently reported that Gerakan Batu representative Lim Si Pin had announced that the first phase of road-widening work from Jalan Segambut heading towards Mont Kiara had been completed. It is said the road will be widened to four lanes from the current two.

“The first phase involves land acqusition and these houses will definitely be affected if the road is going to be made into four lanes,” Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng said. According to him, the stretch is one of the busiest roads in the area, resulting in massive traffic congestion during peak hours. He added that he received a few complaints of the congestion every day and the issue needed urgent attention. On May 12, 2008, when Lip Eng raised the issue in Parliament, he was told the upgrading work on the road was set under the 10th Malaysia Plan. However, the land acquisition project was to be carried out under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. The cost of the entire project under the 10th Malaysia Plan is estimated at RM165mil, while the budget for the land acquisition is RM40mil, and it was said that RM20mil had been set aside for the purpose. “Where is the money? These people have not received anything yet,” Lip Eng said. “The money set aside will not be enough for the land acquisition as Mont Kiara is an upcoming development area,” he added.