SITIAWAN: Sections 9 and 10 of the West Coast Expressway (WCE) from Kampung Lekir, Sitiawan, to Beruas in Perak were opened to road users yesterday.
Works Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Syed Omar Sharifuddin Syed Ikhsan said the 45-km stretch, built at a cost of RM917 million, could save travelling time by 30 minutes to Beruas.
“It is a shortcut for residents around Teluk Intan, Kampung Lekir in Sitiawan, Beruas and Seri Iskandar,” Omar said at the opening of Sections 9 and 10 of the WCE at the Kampung Lekir toll plaza here.
Present were Malaysian Highway Authority director-general Datuk Aziz Abdullah and WCE Holdings Bhd chairman Datuk Hamzah Hassan.
Syed Omar said there were five intersections: Kampung Lekir, Sitiawan, Sitiawan North, Changkat Chermin and Beruas.
He said users would not pay toll until the government decided on the policy and toll rates for the expressway.
The opening of the Kampung Lekir-Beruas stretch of the WCE is the second after the opening of Section 8 from the Hutan Melintang intersection to the Teluk Intan intersection on May 31.
Syed Omar said more than 600,000 vehicles had used the Section 8 stretch as a shortcut by residents living around Sabak Bernam in Selangor, as well as those from Bagan Datuk, Hutan Melintang, Teluk Intan and Sitiawan in Perak.
“This stretch shortens the travelling time by 11 minutes compared with using federal road FT005.
“It also has a surau and toilets next to the Hutan Melintang and Teluk Intan toll plazas.
“The FT005 road from Teluk Intan to Kampung Lekir and from Tanjung Karang in Selangor to Hutan Melintang in Perak will be upgraded when the project is completed.” --Bernama