BY: NAZLI IBRAHIM
SEPANG, AUG 22: Although a substantial amount is required as investment to realise the Smart Selangor initiative, it will be worthwhile as the initiative will bring immense benefits to the Selangor government and its citizens.
Sri Muda Assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei said that Smart Selangor, an idea of Selangor Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali, needs to be implemented immediately to save time and higher costs.
“In principle, any change or initiative as big as this would naturally require a substantial investment but also should bring benefits to all.
“To me, there is no issue as long as the investment made can change Selangor and turn it into a major player in Southeast Asia and an example to other states in Malaysia.
“For example, if we want a good return, we need to be prepared to provide a substantial investment if it is capable of producing benefits,” he said.
He said this at the Smart Selangor Retreat programme at Avani Sepang Goldcoast Resort on August 19 and 20.
Sekinchan Assemblyman Ng Sue Lim said that inaddition to benefits to the rakyat, services to the public will also be more efficient because attending to issues will not take so much time.
“I agree that the expenditure is needed but will need to be planned properly.
“In addition, an assemblyman’s time can be saved when the public can lodge complaints directly through applications like iClean Selangor that channels them immediately to the authorities,” he said.
Selangor State Secretary Dato’ Mohd Amin Ahmad Ahya, meanwhile, said that Selangor needed to prepare itself to face a future with ‘smart solutions’.
He said that any delay to implement the initiative would be Selangor’s loss as it would lose the opportunity to channel various benefits that the government and the public could enjoy.
“Expenditure to implement Smart Selangor is worthwhile as it is the future.
“We also stand to gain compared to other states. If we delay, the costs will increase as time progresses,” he said.
