By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, March 18 — Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling is bringing a fresh, inclusive approach to the state’s tourism sector, leveraging her policymaking and business networking background to bridge the gap between government agencies, industry players, and grassroots communities.
Chua, who served as the Kuala Sepetang state assemblyman from 2013 to 2018 before joining Tourism Selangor as a manager for industry development and business networking, describes her leadership style as visionary, collaborative, and guided by design thinking.
“I think because of my experience, I can play an important role in connecting the dots, being the bridge between government agencies, industry players, and the grassroots community,” she said on Major Suits, a Media Selangor talk show featuring key industry leaders aired on Sunday.
Collaboration, Chua stressed, is the foundation of long-term success.
“Without collaboration and integration among all stakeholders, initiatives become short-term programmes. We need continuous engagement and participation to ensure our campaigns create a lasting impact,” she said.
Since joining Tourism Selangor, Chua has introduced innovative public engagement initiatives, including pitching competitions to crowdsource fresh ideas from the community.
“I started programmes like pitching competitions where we invite the public, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and local communities to submit their ideas.
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Tourism Selangor chief executive officer Chua Yee Ling speaks during the Malaysia to China Sales Mission programme to promote the Visit Selangor Year 2025 campaign, in Kunming, China, on March 10, 2025. — Picture via FACEBOOK/TOURISM SELANGOR[/caption]
“For me, Malaysia has an abundance of talent. Government agencies do not have to do everything, we just need to create the right environment and platform for talented people who are willing to contribute,” she said.
Chua added that the initiative has already delivered tangible results, particularly in cultural preservation.
Tourism Selangor has collaborated with NGOs and universities through the pitching competition to develop programmes to safeguard indigenous communities’ heritage, including the Mah Meri tribe in Pulau Carey.
“They developed a programme that curates content on how we can preserve Mah Meri culture and heritage,” she said.
As one of the few women in a leadership role within the tourism sector, Chua is passionate about encouraging more women to take on leadership positions. Her first major initiative as a chief executive officer includes a campaign celebrating International Women’s Day in March, coinciding with Visit Selangor Year 2025.
“We still need more representation of women across industries and in leadership positions. Women bring different perspectives, and that diversity is valuable,” she said.
Chua’s advice to young women aspiring to leadership positions is simple: “Do not be shy.”
When asked how women leaders should handle criticism, she responded, “Let the results speak. Action speaks.”
For Chua, passion is the driving force behind success in any field.
“It is not just about the tourism industry, in any industry; you need passion to achieve what you set out to do,” she said.
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Chua Yee Ling, chief executive officer of Tourism Selangor (fifth from right) with the Malaysia Inbound Chinese Association (Mica) delegation in Kunming, China on March 10, 2025. — Picture via TOURISM SELANGOR[/caption]
