By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, June 28 — The combination of four major Selangor cities into the Greater Klang Valley administrative area should enable the seamless cooperation of local authorities and harmonise land laws and urban planning, which will ultimately benefit the population, said Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung.
While many are attracted by the “mega metropolis”, Lee said the aim of such an initiative must be to ensure better urban planning and sustainable development.
“Well, I think it’s the right direction to go… We need to communicate more among all these cities in Selangor. Of course, it’s ‘sexy’, and it’s also a good sound bite to hear ‘mega metropolis’. Everyone likes it, but I would like to remind everyone that it all comes back to the quality of life, whether we are having this, and whether we are coordinating better.
“If, for example, I want to build a pedestrian bridge connecting Sunway, which is under Subang Jaya, to Mentari Court in Petaling Jaya, can we streamline the process? I’m keen on this project, but when I spoke with the Petaling Jaya City Council, it mentioned the other side falls under the Subang Jaya City Council.
“So one day, I found myself wondering why we can’t just sit down together, have regular meetings, and discuss these matters. You name three great ideas, I name three great ideas, and all cities can integrate better.
“Ultimately, it’s about connectivity, improving quality of life, and fostering better integration and people-to-people connections. I believe focusing on these aspects is more beneficial than concentrating solely on mega infrastructure projects,” he said in Selangor Journal’s talk show Lunch on Us!, which aired yesterday afternoon.
The Greater Klang Valley is an initiative by the Selangor administration to combine Petaling Jaya, Klang, Subang Jaya, and Shah Alam into one major administrative centre.
When announcing the massive endeavour, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari previously said this will create a metropolis to rival similar areas in the region and drive economic growth for the state and country.
Lee expressed hope the potential conurbation would compete healthily to uplift the lives of their respective inhabitants.
“Competition is good and should not stifle innovation. For instance, if you position Klang as an industrial city, know that Petaling Jaya also has industries.
“Subang Jaya, too, has its own development ideas. It’s really about competition within cooperation and how we can cooperate while competing. Striving for this balance is crucial,” he said.
When asked whether this major initiative could sideline other towns in the state, Lee explained major policies are in place to emphasise a special economic zone in Selangor to ensure equal development and economic growth statewide.
He pointed to the Sabak Bernam Development Area in northern Selangor, the Integrated Development Region in South Selangor, mainly comprising districts in neighbouring Negeri Sembilan, and the Selangor Maritime Gateway, which encompasses areas along Sungai Klang.
“They (economic zones) specialise in different things, and we must acknowledge that most jobs are created in the centre of the Klang Valley — Petaling Jaya and Subang Jaya.
“By bringing people closer to where they work, we can reduce travel time. This will make both lifestyles and work styles more convenient and productive. You will spend less time on the road,” he said.
