By Amar Shah Mohsen
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 — With its advanced infrastructure and strong economy, Selangor is emerging as a model for development in Southeast Asia, offering a blueprint for other states and countries in the region.
Pacific Research Centre principal adviser Oh Ei Sun said Selangor, as Malaysia’s most developed state and largest economic contributor, can play a crucial role in sharing its development model, particularly in attracting high-value investments.
He said with the various infrastructure at its disposal, Selangor is well positioned to capture hi-tech investments entering the region, currently one of the fastest growing economies in the world.
“If we look at Selangor and Penang, they are really well developed. Next to Singapore, you (Selangor) are probably the most developed region in Southeast Asia,” he told Media Selangor on the sidelines of the Asean Summit 2025 here yesterday.
“The question then is: how do you share this example with the rest of the region? Secondly, how do you make sure that when hi-tech investment comes along, it comes to you?” he added.
Oh was asked about the role that states like Selangor, as Malaysia’s most advanced economy, can play in helping to push the region forward, particularly in conjunction with Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship this year.
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A view of downtown Shah Alam. — Picture by SELANGORKINI[/caption]
Selangor has long articulated its vision to be the gateway to Asean — as early back as 2015 when it hosted the first Selangor International Business Summit — and has backed this ambition through strategic investments and policies, among others.
The state is also consistently the country’s largest gross domestic product (GDP) contributor.
In 2023, Selangor contributed 25.9 per cent to the national GDP — the second time it surpassed the 25 per cent mark — and became the first state to reach RM400 billion in economic activity.
Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari projects the state will achieve a RM500 billion economy within the next five years.
Meanwhile, on the United States’ sweeping tariffs, Oh said it is crucial for Selangor to engage closely in negotiations with the US, given the state’s significant role in exports.
“A lot of electronics are manufactured here. So, they need to work very closely with the Investment, Trade and Industry Ministry in terms of the negotiations.”
Yesterday, when speaking at the 46th Asean Summit plenary session, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had written to US President Donald Trump, seeking an Asean-US meeting to remediate and mitigate tariff impact.
“I have taken the liberty of writing to president Donald Trump to seek his understanding and support in organising a US-Asean meeting, which reflects our serious commitment to the principle of centrality.”
