▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁ 9 0 0   m ▁Gent ing ▁S emp ah ▁T unnel ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁highway ▁tunnel ▁in ▁Malays ia , ▁constructed ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁The ▁tunnel ▁was ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁by ▁the ▁then ▁Minister ▁of ▁Works ▁and ▁Communic ations , ▁D ato ' ▁Abd ul ▁Gh ani ▁Gil ong . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁sections ▁of ▁the ▁North – S outh ▁Express way ▁were ▁the ▁to ll ▁sections ▁of ▁the ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur – Ser emb an ▁Express way ▁from ▁S ung ai ▁Bes i ▁to ▁Lab u ▁to ll ▁pla zas , ▁which ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁June ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁The ▁next ▁sections ▁were ▁B uk it ▁Kay u ▁Hit am – J it ra ▁and ▁Sen ai – J oh or ▁Bah ru ▁st ret ches ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Then ▁the ▁I po h – Ch ang k at ▁J ering ▁and ▁Ser emb an – A yer ▁Ker oh ▁st ret ches , ▁which ▁were ▁opened ▁to ▁traffic ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁However , ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁the ▁closed - t oll ▁system ▁came ▁into ▁force ▁along ▁the ▁K ual a ▁L ump ur – A yer ▁Ker oh ▁and ▁I po h – Ch ang k