KUALA SELANGOR, Nov 20 — The West Coast Expressway (WCE) route from the Bandar Bukit Raja Utara to Assam Java elevated junction will be open to highway users at midnight (November 21).

Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said toll exemption will also be granted from midnight (12.01am) today until 11.59pm on January 2, 2024 to highway users entering the 21.8 km-long Route 6 from Bandar Bukit Raja Utara to Assam Java toll plazas and vice-versa.

"Meanwhile, users entering WCE from Section 5, which is from Bandar Bukit Raja Selatan toll to the Assam Java toll plaza or vice-versa, will be charged the existing toll rate according to vehicle class,” he said.

He said after officiating the opening of Section 6 of WCE, at the Bandar Bukit Raja Utara elevated junction to the Assam Java elevated junction here today.

Nanta said the opening of the Section 6 highway is expected to save travel time from Kapar in Klang to Assam Java in Ijok, taking only 15 minutes compared to the previous 45 minutes via the existing route.

"This 30-minute reduction in travel time promises convenience to highway users.

"In addition, the opening of the Section 6 highway will have a positive impact in boosting the local tourism industry with interesting tourist destinations such as the Batu Arang Heritage Township, Bukit Malawati, Sky Mirror, and Kampung Kuantan Firefly Park for example, with easier access to visitors,” he said.

Nanta reiterated that the opening of the route can promote tourism activities in the area and create new opportunities for local businesses as well as stimulate the socio-economic growth of the community.

Four sections of the West Coast Expressway were previously opened in 2019, involving three sections in the state of Perak, namely Section 8 (Hutan Melintang–Teluk Intan), Section 9 (Lekir–Changkat Chermin) and Section 10 (Changkat Chermin–Beruas), as well as Section 5 (Bandar Bukit Raja Selatan-Bandar Bukit Raja Utara) in Selangor.

In the meantime, commenting on the statement of the family of Syed Asnan Sayed Mokhtar, 37, who wanted to sue the government after the man’s death, Nanta said it was their right and that his ministry was carrying out an investigation and examining the report regarding the pothole incident.

On Saturday (November 18), the clerk died after his motorcycle hit a pothole before falling and run over by a trailer truck at the traffic lights at Batu 5 in Jalan Meru, Klang near here.

In other developments, Nanta said his ministry had received more than 4,000 complaints through the MYJalan application as of last week, and the public was encouraged to pass on information so that road damage could be repaired.

The MYJalan application (launched in August 2023) is a local road safety platform for users to lodge complaints of all types, even on roads not maintained by the Ministry of Public Works. — Bernama