Ng (third from left) talking to Puasa during the press conference. Also present are (from left) SGKV research officer Ismail Muhamad and Upen Local Authorities Section deputy director Mohd Sha’walludin Aziz. — KK SHAM/The Star
GUIDELINES on building plans, licensing and planning approval in four city councils are to be made uniform within a year under the Selangor Greater Klang Valley (SGKV) initiative.
This will enable the cities to have a competitive edge in becoming world class metropolises such as London and Tokyo, said Selangor local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim.
He said the cumulative population of four cities – Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Subang Jaya City Council (MBSJ), Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) and Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) – was 3.8 million.
“Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari mentioned about the development of the SGKV in the state’s 2024 budget.
“We want Selangor cities to be competitive as we aspire to become like Tokyo and London,” he said in a press conference after chairing the Local Council Compliance and Uniformity meeting at Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah in Shah Alam, Selangor.
Also present were Selangor Greater Klang Valley Office chief Datuk Puasa Md Taib and representatives from the Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (Upen).
Ng said having uniform council guidelines was among the key element towards building competitive cities.
“Based on stakeholders’ feedback, there is no uniformity in the guidelines among local councils in Selangor,” he said.
“People say there were inconsistent waiting periods for approvals at different councils.
“The guidelines should be made simpler and be the same across all four city councils,” he added.
The new guidelines, he said, would be planned based on engagement and ideas from upcoming focus groups with stakeholders, non-governmental organisations, public and media.
Once their effectiveness have been tested, they would be introduced to all other councils in Selangor, said Ng.
“The guidelines, to be planned in upcoming focus groups, will be designed to empower local councils.”
Based on a Merdeka Centre survey, Selangor’s local councils have recorded 67% satisfaction from the public, he said.
The state was eager to move forward and remain competitive especially since Selangor contributed 25.9% of the national gross domestic product (GDP), added Ng.
