SHAH ALAM, Dec 10 — The Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) will continue with repairs to the Shah Alam Theatre to turn it into a world-class stage by 2030.
The restoration was scheduled to start two years ago, but was delayed due to financial commitments for a more pressing need.
MBSA Assessment and Asset Management Department director Khairoul Nisya Kamaruddin told Media Selangor that the restoration is part of the council’s strategic plan to ensure the theatre functions as a community arts centre.
“We are aiming for the Shah Alam theatre to be used for national- and international-standard stages, so MBSA must perform various upgrades,” she said.
Media Selangor was made to understand that the theatre, built around 17 years ago, didn’t receive the palace’s approval to be named Shah Alam Royale Theatre as it doesn’t fulfil actual staging conditions.
Khairoul Nisya said upgrades planned for the theatre are to its acoustic system, dressing rooms, mainstage design, and several external modifications.
She added that MBSA estimates the upgrades to cost up to RM32 million, with works to be completed in five years.
“This upgrading project is fully under MBSA’s allocations, not under the state budget,” she explained.
When asked about delays to the project, which was supposed to start in mid-2023, Khairoul Nisya said the earlier recommendation had to be postponed as MBSA was forced to use the allocations for another purpose.
“We had to delay it until another allocation could be prepared. God willing, in 2026, the first phase (repairs) will be done, and the second phase (upgrades) are expected in 2027,” she said.
She expressed confidence that the restoration project will breathe new life into the Shah Alam Theatre when it is completed in 2029 or 2030.
“Maybe it would be rebranded,” she added.
The Shah Alam Theatre was built in 2008 with an allocation of RM44.5 million, including nearly RM6 million for the stage. However, it can only seat 800, or around 60 per cent of Istana Budaya’s capacity.
Its design takes inspiration from two handfans that meet in the middle, forming its roof. When viewed from afar, the roof is formed by nine fan blades that represent Selangor’s nine districts.
The 48m building in the middle of the Shah Alam City Centre, also known as the “Bowing Fan”, contains elements of Malay and Bugis architecture.
Previously, the building was under MBSA’s management before it was transferred to the Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation, eventually returning to MBSA.
* This story was first published in the SelangorKini BM print edition (December 11-17, 2025), free to download here.
