Puchong MP Gobind Singh has asked Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim to stick to the Pakatan manifesto and oppose tolled highways in the controversial Kinrara Damansara Expressway (KIDEX) project. In a statement today, Gobind reminded the Selangor Menteri Besar that agreeing to the project would be going against the coalition’s manifesto.
On Khalid’s reasoning that the federal manifesto would not bind Selangor state affairs, Gobind said that Pakatan’s federal manifesto needs to be conformed with regardless of whether Pakatan had seized federal government or not.
Khalid also said that the elimination of tolled highways was never a part of the Selangor Pakatan Manifesto. Responding to this, Gobind Singh said that the state government should take cognisance of the fact that Pakatan Rakyat is opposed in principle to tolled roads, a position it took throughout the 2008 and 2013 general elections.
“Khalid should not underestimate the intelligence of the people of Selangor. We all know we did not win the federal government. But we won in Selangor and Selangor has much power at its command to put a stop to it or at the very least to exert full pressure over the federal government to shelve the project,” said the Puchong MP.
“Khalid must understand this and stop giving out the impression that he is weak and helpless,” said Gobind, who explained that Khalid should oppose KIDEX and use this as a platform to affirm Pakatan Rakyat’s national plan to abolish tolls.
“Now is the time for Selangor to show leadership and put into clear perspective why it is the people should support us in Pakatan Rakyat and that our ultimate objective to abolish tolls,” Gobind said.
He also asked Khalid to give assurance that he is still open to shelving the project despite an arranged briefing by KIDEX scheduled for this Friday.
“He (Khalid) wants KIDEX to meet us. If this is just an attempt at window dressing, a briefing just to tell us what will happen without really giving us options, then I think such a meeting would not be of any help,” he said.
Gobind Singh also called on Khalid to assure all concerned residents, especially the Say No to Kidex (SNTK) movement, that he will personally meet them and take into consideration their objection to KIDEX. -The Rocket
