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KL City Hall should immediately halt the construction of the Pantai Dalam-Jalan 5/46 link road Press Statement by John Chung (Petaling Jaya, Monday): KL City Hall should take heed of the widespread objections of Petaling Garden residents to the construction of the Pantai Dalam-Jalan 5/46 link road and immediately halt the project.   Residents in the area have voiced their protest against the link road project as the construction of the link will result in an influx of motorists that wish to avoid paying toll at the New Pantai Expressway. Jalan 5/46 being a narrow thoroughfare will not be able to cope with the increased traffic volume.   As MPPJ has indicated that it will put up a barricade at the tail-end of Jalan 5/46 to block incoming traffic in the event KL City Hall goes ahead with the link road project, it is important that both parties immediately sit down to negotiate an amicable solution to the problem.   It would be pointless and a waste of taxpayers’ money for KL City Hall to construct the link road only to find MPPJ erecting a barrier to block incoming motorists. Besides, unnecessary hardship would be caused to the residents of Gasing Indah on the KL side who would then be denied direct access into PJ and forced to take a big loop via Old Klang Road in order to enter PJ.   In order to allay the fears of the Petaling Garden residents, KL City Mayor Datuk Mohmad Shaid should direct that the construction of the link road which had already started be immediately halted and discuss the issue with MPPJ.   KL City Hall should not insist on the construction of the toll-free alternative route merely in the interest of KL City Hall assessment payers. Instead, it should look at the larger context, namely the potential consequences of the project to the traffic conditions of PJ particularly along Jalan Gasing and at the Jalan Othman roundabout. (26/5/2003) * John Chung, DAP National Publicity Bureau Assistant Secretary