SHAH ALAM, Dec 11 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj, had expressed his satisfaction over the investments into the state but said that there is still room for improvements, The Star reported today.
In an exclusive interview with the English daily in conjunction with his 76th birthday, the Selangor Ruler stated that investors have many options and that Selangor must provide the best, adding that the state remains a good place but “we (Selangor) need to do better.”
Though the Selangor Ruler believed that more needed to be done to attract investors to the state, His Royal Highness, on the other hand, praised state executive councillor Dato’ Teng Chang Khim for trade and investment for doing a good job.
Meanwhile, according to the Selangor Sultan, elected representatives in the state should not be the chairmen and directors of government-linked companies (GLCs)as the jobs should be done by people who are qualified.
The Selangor Sultan stated that he had read about such appointments and had often wondered if these elected representatives had the time or even had the right skills or experience to do them well.
“They should focus on taking care of their constituents and the state. Leave it to the professionals.
“I hope they are not just thinking of the perks and remunerations in working for these GLCs, whether state or federal,” The Star quoted the Selangor Ruler
Among the issues that concerned His Royal Highness was the state’s sluggish economy and the little that was being done to revitalise it.
“Besides the Covid-19 pandemic, the never-ending water woe, which was a major bane to industries, is also a factor behind the declining economy.
“That’s why they (businesses) run away to Vietnam one by one. We will lose investments,” Sultan Sharafuddin said, adding that labour costs in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia were competitive.
The Selangor Sultan also said that the state’s water problems had to be solved without politics getting in the way.
