By Amar Shah Mohsen
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — Selangor stands out as the “number one” destination in Southeast Asia when it comes to doing business, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari said in a pitch to investors globally to expand their wings in the state.
Addressing trade players and investors at the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2023, Amirudin said this is owing to the fact that the state possesses all the necessary ingredients for success.
“If you had to pick the best state to place your money in Southeast Asia, there is no better place for your money’s worth than Selangor.”
“I am sure all of you agree because otherwise, you wouldn’t be here today. Now is the time to convince others like you to look no further,” he said at the opening ceremony of the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2023, here, today.
Among other things, Amirudin noted that no other state in the region contributes over a quarter of the national economy through a mix of industries, ranging from manufacturing to logistics and pharmaceuticals.
Selangor also has the 12th busiest port in the world and is home to two major airport terminals and one regional terminal in Subang, which is set to undergo an expansion, he said.
In addition, the menteri besar pointed out that the state is also second to none when it comes to having the capacity to grow and taking proactive measures to give investors the peace of mind that it is committed to sustainable growth.
“We have the largest universities and brightest minds. It is not only Selangorians, who call this state home, many others also choose to call Selangor home. That means we will have a steady supply of workers to take up the jobs your investments will be able to create.
“As far as sales pitches go, I hope I have made a solid enough case to get you to invest in Selangor.
“But this is not just empty hopes or a pipe dream. We have already put in the hard work to attract foreign investors to set up shop in Selangor,” he said in his opening speech.
Amirudin said Daiso Japan’s decision to build its largest global distribution centre in Pulau Indah is a testament to the commitment of the state government to promote investments.
Investments from the likes of Toyota, Texas Instruments, Wistron, Airbus, Aerodyne, and Ally Logistic Property Co Ltd, among others, have also been instrumental in Selangor’s economic growth of 11.9 per cent in 2022, he added.
“I am confident this summit will be an opportunity to discover new areas, whether in innovation or technology, because your investment will be instrumental to allow our young people to have brighter futures.
“This administration is committed to making Selangor the gateway to Asean, and in the not too distant future, one of the top destinations in Asia.”
SIBS 2023, which takes place from today until Sunday, features 1,006 booths and is expected to welcome over 50,000 trade visitors.
The summit is also projected to see more than RM1.5 billion in potential negotiated sales.
