By Yasmin Ramlan
KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Selangor has been described as the “California of Malaysia”, thanks to its strong economic performance that saw the state being the largest contributor to Malaysia's gross domestic product (GDP) last year.
State executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han said Selangor is also prepared to leverage its strength in supporting the growth of the country and Asean.
“Selangor is the ‘California of Malaysia’ because of its strong economy. We contributed 25.9 per cent to Malaysia’s GDP in 2023, leading with an economic growth of 5.4 per cent and a trade value exceeding RM400 billion,” he said today.
He said this in his welcoming speech at the 8th Selangor Asean Business Conference (SABC), held in conjunction with the First Series of the Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS) 2024, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre here today.
According to Ng, Selangor's strategic location — being home to two major international airports and the world’s 12th busiest container port, Port Klang — positions the state as a key hub for connectivity and logistics in Asean.
He also noted that Selangor surpassed its investment target in 2023, with RM55.3 billion, attracting major investments such as Google’s RM9.4 billion in Elmina Business Park, underscoring the state’s appeal as an investment destination.
Additionally, he key projects under the First Selangor Plan, such as the Sabak Bernam Development Area (Sabda), the Integrated Development Region in South Selangor (Idriss) and the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG), are expected generate over RM2 trillion in economic activities.
In view of these, Ng said the state government is ready to play a more proactive role in supporting Malaysia’s priority economic deliverables when it assumes the Asean chairmanship next year.
“We will fully support Asean initiatives, from the Asean Strategy for Carbon Neutrality to the Asean Digital Economy Framework.
“Selangor is also committed to advancing our state’s economic landscape and contributing to the collective growth and strength of Asean,” he said.
SABC’s vital role
Meanwhile, Ng said SABC serves as an important platform for Asean and global leaders to discuss important economic issues, explore trade opportunities and form strategic partnerships.
He emphasised that SIBS’ overall theme of ‘Selangor, Gateway to Asean’ is not merely a rhetoric or slogan, pointing out that the state has continuously championed the region’s growth and well-being.
“Selangor's journey mirrors Malaysia's broader role within Asean, which is poised to become the world's fourth-largest economy by 2030.
“Despite challenges like low intra-regional trade and investment cooperation, initiatives like SABC are important in addressing these issues,” he said.
Ng also gave his commitment to continue building on SABC’s past successes — the regional conference attracted over 2,400 participants from Asean countries and beyond over the past seven years.
“This broad participation helps deepen economic ties and policy collaboration across the region,” he said, adding that SABC is not just a talkshop, but also a platform for people-to-people engagement.
“We are always looking at improving SABC and exploring various ideas, such as broader international collaborations, to transform it into a hub for startups and investors, and launching leadership and skills training programmes for young entrepreneurs.”
