PETALING JAYA (Dec 1, 2009): Jalan Tanjung in Bandar Utama was this morning finally opened to one-way traffic despite an earlier bid by a resident’s association to stop the scheduled reopening of the road last night.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who had on Nov 22 directed that the road should be opened for two weeks to facilitate a study for a more permanent traffic plan for the area, thanked the developer Bandar Utama City Corporation (BUCC), which owns the land on which the road runs, for making this possible.

In a press statement, Abdul Khalid said as agreed in the Nov 22 meeting between the state government, Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), BUCC and Tropicana developer Dijaya Corporation, the re-opening of the road for two weeks will not prejudice the ongoing legal disputes between BUCC and Dijaya.

He said the move will now allow MBPJ to study the feasibility of widening Jalan Tanjung, Bandar Utama to a four-lane road from its current two-lane road.

BUCC’s decision comes after the Bandar Utama Residents’ Association (Bura) filed a court injunction at the Shah Alam High Court yesterday to prevent the road from being reopened to traffic.

MBPJ was originally scheduled to reopen the road at 9pm last night. But about 20 MBPJ officers and 20 Bandar Utama residents had a standoff at the site that lasted from 9.40pm until close to 11pm while officials from BUCC and MBPJ discussed the legal points of opening the road following the injunction which was served on both parties.

The road was finally reopened to one-way traffic sometime early this morning.

Today, an opposing group of residents from Tropicana and other nearby areas who are against the closure of the road said they had decided to file for an injunction at the Shah Alam High Court to counter the earlier one.

The 19-member Action Group Against the Closure of Jalan Tanjung Bandar Utama, which comprises 18 residents associations (RAs) and joint management boards and one Parent-Teachers Association, decided on the matter today.

Speaking after a meeting with representatives from 10 members of the Action Group, its chairman Mohamed Shukri Zain said that they had "no choice" but to counter the Bura injunction, which was served on the Petaling Jaya Municipal Council (MBPJ) on Monday evening.

"If they put in an injunction and we don't do anything it will look as if only one side is telling the story. So we have no choice (but to discuss an injunction), and we in the Action Group have decided on the matter, and we are discussing with solicitors now," said Mohamed Shukri, adding that all 10 RAs present agreed to the injunction.

The road, which was used daily by thousands of motorists daily to access Lebuh Bandar Utama, Jalan Tropicana and the New Klang Valley Expressway, was closed on Nov 16 because the piece of land in front of the 1-Tech Park, on which the road passes through, is owned by BUCC.

Mohamed Shukri Zain added that the Action Group feared that the Bura injunction could derail the plans put in place by Abdul Khalid to resolve the matter.