SHAH ALAM, Jan 2 — Selangor’s economy cannot afford to falter as the state plays a critical role in supporting the federal economy, said Selangor menteri besar’s press secretary Jay Jay Denis.
He said while other states have shown progress and contributed to the national gross domestic product (GDP), Selangor bears a greater responsibility to continue outperforming national growth.
“Other regions are growing, such as Johor with its special economic zone, Penang through its expanded semiconductor industry, and Sarawak with its extensive land development — they are growing.
“But we (Selangor) have managed to outpace the national growth, and Selangor cannot fail because if the state does not succeed, it will have a nagging impact on the federal government’s performance.
“That is why if we grow, we have to grow more than the national level,” he said during Media Selangor’s Lunch On Us! programme aired on Monday.
Jay Jay said Selangor’s growth trajectory is driven by deliberate planning and policy execution, noting how the First Selangor Plan (RS-1) helped accelerate the state’s year-on-year growth.
The RS-1 is the comprehensive development blueprint for 2021 to 2025 that the Selangor State Legislative Assembly passed in August 2022. It involves a total value of RM212.44 billion in projects and initiatives aimed at making Selangor a smart, prosperous, and liveable state by this year.
Addressing concerns that Selangor’s economic standing could be threatened by other states, Jay Jay said the state remains significantly ahead of its closest competitors, including Kuala Lumpur and Johor.
Last year, Selangor achieved a record high GDP of RM432.1 billion, accounting for 26.2 per cent of the national economy.
Jay Jay added that the state’s strategy under Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari’s administration is focused on long-term, sustainable growth rather than short-term gains, emphasising the need to build on existing strengths while maintaining flexibility to enter new sectors.
“Sustainable growth means you look at the areas you’re good at, double down on them, but not be too rigid and have some flexibility where you can expand into new areas.”
Among the new high-growth sectors Selangor is exploring are semiconductor and aerospace, he said.
Asked about the state’s policy direction, Jay Jay said it has always been the administration’s principle to ensure all segments of the society benefit from programmes and initiatives rolled out by the government.
“You can grow as fast as possible, but it makes no sense if people are left behind.”
