COMMENT | There was a time when I thought highways were universally good. When Penchala Link was built in 2004, there was a catchy jingle that went “Penchala Link will set you free, to be where you want to be!”

Indeed, when it first opened, it fulfilled its promise for a short time as a less-jammed alternative way to the city. But, as with so many other highways, it is now as congested as any other route.

Similarly, when the MEX Highway was completed in 2007, it looked like a racetrack as there were so few cars on it. But today, it sees standstill traffic during peak hours, especially at the exits into the city, where there are significant bottlenecks.

Where do we go from here – literally and figuratively? In an increasingly congested Klang Valley, are we doomed to spend mind-numbing hours of our lives in...