By Alang Bendahara
SHAH ALAM, July 27 — The rural areas in the northern and southern parts of Selangor will be turned into new economic zones under the First Selangor Plan (RS-1).
Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said the Sabak Bernam Development Area (Sabda) and the Integrated Development Region In South Selangor (Idriss) will be transformed under the Regional Development Plan (Clusterisation).
“To ensure an equal distribution of economic activities in Selangor, the RS-1 has identified several regions in the state that will be developed,” he said during the tabling of the five-year plan during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly here today.
Amirudin added this is part of the nine focus sectors under RS-1’s economic theme.
“Idriss is an integrated private investment development in Sepang and Kuala Langat. It will be driven and complemented by facilities from the Selangor government.
“It will be supported by incentives from both the state and Federal government, with a gross development value (GDV) of RM1 trillion, involving some 40,000 acres of land,” he said.
The Menteri Besar said Selangor remains committed to developing its agriculture sector which will be done through Sabda, stimulating economic growth in the Sabak Bernam district.
“Selangor has given its commitment to the agriculture sector with a RM26.4 million allocation under the 2022 Selangor Budget that included initiatives to produce high-value products through the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) and other technologies. The Selangor Accelerator Programme also focuses on the development of the agrotechnology industry in line with the national aspiration.
“Thus, RS-1 will implement Sabda which aims to stimulate economic growth in the Sabak Bernam district. The RM1.9 billion investment to develop Sabak Bernam, involving an area of 1,317 hectares, is expected to generate an estimated revenue of RM248 million a year from economic core activities and create 3,600 job opportunities,” he said.
Amirudin said Selangor’s agriculture sector has grown at the rate of three per cent annually from 2015 to 2020, even throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the gross domestic product (GDP) for Selangor’s agriculture has registered a marginal increase to RM4.72 billion in 2020, compared to RM4.71 billion in 2019.
