By Yasmin Ramlan
SHAH ALAM, Jan 3 — In anticipation of Klang’s upcoming change to city status on February 5, Klang Municipal Council (MPK) President Datin Paduka Noraini Roslan has been appointed as its first mayor.
The appointment, announced on MPK’s Facebook page yesterday, saw Selangor State Secretary Datuk Haris Kasim present her with the appointment letter, witnessed by Deputy State Secretary (Development) Datuk Johary Anuar at the Selangor State Secretariat Building.
Noraini was the MPK president in 2022 for a two-year term.
Before her current role, she held notable leadership positions, including serving as Subang Jaya Mayor and overseeing its transition into a city in October 2020.
Noraini also served as Hulu Selangor District Council president in 2017, as Kuala Selangor District Council president (from 2011 to early 2017), at the Petaling Jaya City Council from 2010 to 2011, and as MPK Town Planning Department head (from 1989 to 2010).
Besides her experience in managing local councils, she is a qualified town planner with a master’s degree in regional planning from North Carolina University in the United States.
Meanwhile, state executive councillor for local government Dato’ Ng Suee Lim said the official declaration of Klang as a royal city on February 5 was decided upon after royal assent was granted by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj.
“The approval letter from His Royal Highness stated that Klang would become a city on November 23, 2023.
“Both the Cabinet has confirmed this endorsement and following the issuance of the royal charter from Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah,” he told Selangor Journal when contacted.
On July 26 last year, Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said Putrajaya would set aside RM10 million to develop the Klang City Council, which will be the country’s 20th city, and the state government will allocate RM5 million separately into the new city council.
The government’s decision to make Klang the fourth city in Selangor after Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam, and Subang Jaya was decided during the Cabinet meeting on July 25 of last year.
