USJ residents protesting the proposed construction of the Batu Tiga flyover have expressed alarm over a signature drive supporting the project that is claimed to have the endorsement of the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ).

Several residents have alerted their respective 'neighbourhood watch' groups that petrol station attendants had solicited their signatures for a petition supporting the flyover which will link Subang Heights in Batu Tiga to USJ3 in Selangor.

Many USJ residents are worried the link will be abused as a shortcut by cars and heavy vehicles from Shah Alam, to avoid tolled highways. They mounted a signature campaign last month, headed by the USJ Residents Association (USJRA).

USJ resident Ameer Zulkifli (photo, far right) said a petrol pump attendant told him the flyover was "kasi tada jam" (to prevent traffic jams), when he decided to check out talk of the signature drive.

This could not, however, be independently verified by malaysiakini, despite three visits last week to a petrol station said to be involved.

Ameer and three other USJ residents interviewed said the pump attendants were irresponsible and had given misleading information - those who signed up were apparently not fully informed about the issue before they pledged support.

A copy of the sign-up sheet made available to malaysiakini revealed addresses in Batu and Kepong.

Another resident Robert Chan (photo above, second from left) feels the petrol station signature drive might give residents the wrong impression of MPSJ.

"Their signature drive reflects badly on MPSJ. The authorities must immediately put a stop to it Ratepayers will be angry if MPSJ uses our money to do something that is against us," he said.

Waste of time

Contacted yesterday, Subang Jaya state assemblyperson Lee Hwa Beng said he would ensure that MPSJ does not accept the signatures as bona fide support for the flyover.

"It was a waste of time as the signatures were not obtained in a proper way. The briefing done by the pump attendants was also improper," said Lee, who is a MPSJ councillor.

Lee said he had investigated the matter and is convinced that certain individuals or parties in favour of the flyover had paid the foreign nationals 20 sen per signature obtained.

He explained that those behind the drive were 'highly motivated' and had even resorted to writing a lengthy poison pen letter about him and his opposition to the flyover.

In a related development, USJRA president P Jeyandran said a technical meeting had been held between the developers of the flyover and MPSJ two weeks before the Deepavali and Hari Raya holidays.

"Usually, a technical meeting is only held after approval is given by the local authorities and the project is ready to begin. The purpose of the meeting is to get the approval of the MPSJ engineering department," he said.

He questioned why none of the zone representatives were invited for the technical meeting, as they normally would have.

MPSJ chief Arif Abdul Rahman could not be reached for comments. On the request of his aide, a list of questions was faxed to his office but there has been no response to date.

The council has held regular dialogues between Subang Heights property owners who are pressing for the link bridge to USJ, as the facility was promised by the developers when they bought their houses.

MPSJ is now caught in an impasse as USJRA argues that the flyover, approved in 1995, should be reconsidered in view of the heavy jams in Subang Jaya during rush hours.