A TOTAL of 20 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) will keep watch over motorists as they travel on the Kajang-Seremban (Lekas) highway once it is completely operational next year.

This means that the 44.3km highway will be closely monitored on the Traffic Control and Surveillance System (TCSS) as there would be a CCTV every two kilometres.

The Kajang-Pajam stretch has been open to traffic since Aug 22. It is the second stretch to be opened, after the Kajang-Kajang Selatan Interchange stretch.

Lekas chief executive officer Neoh Soon Hiong said the CCTVs would enable motorists to have a safe journey as every stretch of the highway would be monitored. The CCTVs will complement the 24-hour highway patrol.

"We have invested RM12 million in the CCTVs as safety is of paramount importance to us. We want motorists to feel safe when using our highway. The CCTV moves 360 degrees on its axis," he said during a media briefing held at the Kajang Selatan office.

A Merdeka Day opening was originally planned for the Kajang-Pajam stretch but Works Minister Datuk Mohd Zin Mohamed decided to bring it forward to Aug 22, to give motorists an early feel of the highway.

Neoh added that the highway would serve as an effective traffic dispersal route for the congested Kajang town and an alternative route to access the Kuala Lumpur-Seremban highway at Nilai.

He said that together with the existing feeder highways to the KL-Seremban highway - namely Elite, Besraya, Grand Saga, East-West Link and Silk - the Kajang-Pajam stretch would be an effective traffic dispersal mechanism during the coming festive season.

Neoh said the Cabinet had also decided that there would not be any toll collection until Oct 4.