Khalid assures Mahkota Cheras folks that issue will be resolved

Saturday May 24, 2008

By WANI MUTHIAH and EDWARD RAJENDRA

SELANGOR Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim has assured the 38,000 residents of Bandar Mahkota Cheras that the government is with them in their struggle to resolve their access route issue.

The residents are caught in the middle of a right-of-way tussle between Cheras-Kajang Expressway concessionaire Grand Saga Sdn Bhd and Bandar Makhota Cheras (BMC) developer Narajaya Sdn Bhd.

Recently, the long-suffering residents dismantled the barricades erected by Grand Saga barring them use of a shorter and toll-free route into their housing area.

Khalid said the matter was between two business entities and it was up to them to iron out the issue.

“As a developer Narajaya believes it has the right to the land while Grand Saga differs in this view and that is why it resorted to closing the road,” he pointed out.

“Both firms can battle it out in court. If Grand Saga is not successful, the road will be open, and if Narajaya fails in court, the road will also be open, but it would have to pay compensation to Grand Saga.

“The tussle between the two firms will go on until the matter is settled, but in the end the residents will get to use the road,” he added.

Khalid, reiterating that the state understood the residents' plight and would be with them until the issue was resolved, said he had not received any information from Grand Saga, Narajaya or the Works Ministry on their efforts to resolve the issue.