A REPRESENTATIVE from Grand Saga Sdn Bhd, the concessionaire for the Cheras-Kajang Highway, was pelted with stones yesterday when he threatened to restore the dismantled barricade at the Bandar Mahkota Cheras toll-free access road.
Before the incident, Grand Saga representative Zainal Abidin was heard telling residents gathered at the Bandar Mahkota Cheras-Bandar Tun Hussein Onn junction that they had no right to open the road. He roused their anger further by threatening to block the road.
Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents forcefully dismantled the barricade on Monday. They acted on their own accord after learning that the Selangor Government wanted them to wait till today for the surveyor's report which would reveal if the land belonged to the state or the federal government.
The road was barricaded by Grand Saga in September 2005, soon after its opening.
Heated exchange: Zainal (left) arguing with Bandar Mahkota Cheras residents over the opening of the toll-free access road.
Residents, however, have claimed that the road was included in the Kajang masterplan while the highway was built later and therefore the concessionaire had no right to deny them access.
Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, who arrived at noon to ease the tense situation between the residents and Zainal, urged Grand Saga to wait for 24 hours more before putting up the barricade again.
“Please maintain your cool till the outcome is known tomorrow (to-day) after 3pm. We are also awaiting the surveyor's report to determine who has the right of way,” she said.
When the StarMetro visited the site in the morning, many motorists were seen using the road although it needed proper resurfacing work.
But traffic at the crossroads leading to the highway and the Cheras Perdana-Bandar Tun Hussein Onn junction was chaotic because the traffic lights were not synchronised.
Traffic police from Kajang later arrived to ensure the traffic flowed smoothly.
When asked what they would do if the road was barricaded again, the residents said the federal government should step in to resolve the matter.
They said the closure affected their rights as citizens and the government should defend their cause.
