By Danial Dzulkifly
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 – Selangor is prepared to position itself as the digital epicentre of Southeast Asia by leveraging its economic strength and tapping into a diverse talent reservoir, said state executive councillor for investment, trade, and mobility, Ng Sze Han.
In his opening remarks at the launch of the 7th Selangor Asean Business Conference (SABC), Ng said that the state government had launched various initiatives and programmes aimed at establishing a robust digital infrastructure and is focused on developing the much-needed talent to drive the digital economy forward.
“Selangor is poised to become a digital epicentre in Southeast Asia, underpinned by pivotal projects like Jalur Lebar Industri Selangor (Jalin), which aims for strong digital growth by 2025.
“In addition, our commitment to enhancing digital connectivity and digital excellence is
matced by robust infrastructure, specifically through the integrated framework called PANDaS (platforms, applications, network, data centre, and sensors), Selangor Gigabit Network and bolstered by our educational endeavours such as the Selangor Digital School,” he said at the conference, held in conjunction with the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2023, here today.
Also present was Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari.
Ng said another key initiative developed by the state administration is the Smart Selangor policy, backed by substantial budgetary allocations that outline a roadmap to 2025 to ensure the state remains at the cutting edge of digital advancements.
He pointed out further that the efforts received considerable backing from both the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) and the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
Shedding light on Selangor’s economic might, Ng said the state recorded a gross domestic product (GDP) of RM384.9 billion, combined with a commendable GDP growth rate of 11.9 per cent in 2022.
In the previous year, the state contributed 25.5 per cent to Malaysia’s total GDP.
As a testament to its economic vitality, Ng cited Mida’s recent announcement on Selangor securing investments worth RM14.8 billion across 114 diverse projects, which was a record high for Malaysia.
“Selangor is not just a location. It is a destination for businesses, especially for those venturing into the Asean market.
“With more than 17 sprawling industrial areas currently being promoted, stretching from the UMW High-Value Manufacturing Park in Serendah, in the northern part of Selangor, down to the Serenia City Industrial Park in Sepang down south, our state has established itself as an economic powerhouse,” he said.
Ng added that Selangor’s strategic emphasis is on seven economic “superclusters”, namely life sciences, food and beverages manufacturing, electrical and electronics, transport equipment, machinery and equipment, digital investment, and logistical services.
The two-day SABC event is one of the six key events held at the annual trade summit, which begins today until October 22 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
