KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor will introduce a “Klang Valley Raya” enactment next year to administer four local authorities – Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang – for better services and seamless public transportation.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said this when tabling Selangor’s Budget 2024 today, adding that this initiative will require RM2 million to start with.
Collectively, these four local authorities serve 50% of Selangor residents, or 11% of Malaysia’s population.
Amirudin said with plans to elevate the Klang Municipal Council to a city council, the four city councils will face various land, resource and administrative challenges as they become matured growth areas.
The idea for a greater Klang Valley administrative authority came after observation of similar authorities abroad such as in London, Liverpool and the Tokyo Bay Area, Amirudin added.
“The state government will introduce the Klang Valley Raya enactment that will encompass one administration system for the four local authorities,” he said in the state assembly.
The proposal will ensure smooth administration of the four cities, faster responses to ratepayers, and streamline licensing and approval processes.
It will also allow the four cities to be used as test beds for new digital projects for the state to better manage traffic, disasters and development planning.
By consolidating their administration, it will also help the state reduce private vehicle dependency and boost public transport usage, besides achieving its low-carbon goals and optimising state resources, Amirudin added.
He also announced Selangor’s plan to form a local authority services commission that will have oversight of all local and city councils to ensure quality of service.
“This includes ensuring public complaints are responded to within 24 hours.”
Selangor assemblymen will first debate the proposed commission in the state assembly, before it is established, likely in the third quarter of next year, he added.
Selangor’s Budget 2024 sees a total of RM2.53 billion in allocations proposed for the state. This is an increase of RM80 million from the previous year. – November 10, 2023