End to Cheras saga today?

Friday May 30, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR: A solution is in sight to the Bandar Mahkota Cheras access road issue.

Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed is expected to visit the site today and make an announcement, according to highway concessionaire Grand Saga Sdn Bhd.

In a statement yesterday, Grand Saga executive director (business development and corporate affairs) Zainal Abidin Ali said they met Mohd Zin yesterday to discuss the issue.

“After the meeting, we believe that a solution is in sight. The Minister will issue an official statement tomorrow,” said Zainal Abidin.

Grand Saga has in the past few weeks tried to re-erect a barricade to prevent residents from by-passing the toll booth, claiming that the access road was illegal.

However, a statement from Bandar Mahkota Cheras developer Narajaya Sdn Bhd reiterated that it had been granted approval for the access road.

“We wish to place on record that when we launched the BMC housing project, we were granted approval by the relevant authorities to build an access road connecting to the then Cheras-Kajang Highway.

“That approval was obtained before the Government granted Grand Saga the concession over the highway.

“Therefore, in building the access road to connect to the highway, we were merely fulfilling our obligation as required by the authorities,” the statement said.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim, who visited the site yesterday, has asked the parties involved to reach an amicable solution in two weeks.

“I would appreciate if they can put an end to this long-standing fracas,” he said, to applause from residents.

“This has been going on for too long and there must be an amicable solution.

“There is a road, so why close it?” he asked.

Khalid said the problem had to be solved soon or else the state government, as a stakeholder in Grand Saga, could ask for an extraordinary general meeting to discuss the matter.

Every attempt by Grand Saga to block the access road has been thwarted by angry residents, who tore down each new barricade.

One resident, who sustained injuries during a fracas between residents and an unidentified group of people on Tuesday, said he was happy that the issue would soon be resolved.

“However, we are disappointed that it took so long, especially after so many residents were injured (on Tuesday), and two are still recuperating in hospital,” said the man who requested anonymity.

As at 6pm yesterday, the situation at the access road appeared normal although there was a massive traffic jam caused by boulders that had fallen onto the middle of the road under the bypass between the Bandar Mahkota Cheras and Bandar Tun Hussein Onn access roads.