SHAH ALAM, April 5 —The Selangor government will not acquire the land for the approved realignment of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project in the state, says the state executive councillor for investment, industry, commerce and small and medium enterprises in response to the decision made by Putrajaya to retain the original route, today.
Dato’ Teng Chang Khim said the state administration had already completed the preliminary work required for the acquisition of land for the Southern Alignment as previously requested by the MOT.
“The MOT’s flip-flop decision has wasted all the effort and time of the state government spent on the Southern Alignment. The insistence on the Northern Alignment and hurriedness of MOT is unjustifiable and fishy.
“Selangor will not acquire the land for the Federal government if it insists on the BN-era Northern Alignment for the ECRL,” said Teng in a Facebook post today.
Earlier, the MOT had announced that the Cabinet had on September 2 last year approved the original alignment for Section C of the ECRL, also known as the Northern Alignment, which was previously approved under the former Barisan Nasional administration.
The route would see the ECRL traverse from Mentakab to Port Klang via Bentong, Gombak and Serendah, compared to the Southern Alignment via Negri Sembilan.
Citing the Town and Country Planning Act 1976, Teng said under Section 20A, the Federal government should have consulted the Planning Committee of the state for such proposed development.
“A meaningful consultation is one that satisfies the needs of both parties and not one that favoured by one party without the permission of the other.
“The Federal government has behaved like a big bully for unilaterally making the decision after failing to convince the state of the Northern Alignment,” he added.
On Wednesday, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said that the state administration had maintained its stance in choosing the Southern Alignment for the ECRL project in the state as opposed to the proposed Northern Alignment.
He said the preference over the Southern Alignment (HuluLangat-Sepang-Westport) was due to its economic opportunities and that it would avoid disruption to water catchment areas around the Selangor River Basin as well as land acquisition issues.
The Northern Alignment was said to also affect population relocation in the areas involved (Gombak-Serendah-Port Klang).
The Selangor government had previously agreed to the Southern Alignment that runs through the state after it was modified during the Pakatan Harapan-led government to save cost.
