SHAH ALAM, June 15 — Selangor's economic policies are designed to create sustainable and long-term benefits for local businesses and communities rather than relying on short-term gains.
State executive councillor for investment, trade, and mobility Ng Sze Han said the state government has deliberately pursued policies that ensure investments generate broader economic spillover effects and lasting value for the people.
This differs from states like Johor, which rely on capital-intensive projects with limited multipliers.
"It is worth noting that much of Johor’s improvement comes from the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone, with federal support, and that its gains still lean heavily on one-off projects.
“These projects are capital-heavy, with a limited and short-lived multiplier, and their benefits flow mostly to large corporations. Selangor has chosen a different path, one built to last," he said in a Facebook post.
Ng added that the state government has introduced a local economy development policy, tying new data centre investment to a 30 per cent local content requirement to ensure the benefits reach local businesses and workers.
Meanwhile, Speed Selangor reduces red tape and accelerates planning, development, and business permit approvals across all local authorities in the state, cutting processing time for many approvals to 30 days.
He was responding to remarks by MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who recently compared Johor’s economic performance with Selangor’s, saying the southern state is not only growing faster but also ahead of the national average in economic growth, formal sector wages and median household income.
Ng noted that economic success should not be measured solely by whether one state records higher growth than another.
“What matters is whether the policies we pursue, and the investment we attract, create value that spills over beyond our own borders and serves the whole country.
“The Malaysia Semiconductor IC Design Park we established, the first in Malaysia and the largest in Southeast Asia, was never intended to compete with (others). Each state has its role, and the nation is stronger when every one of us plays it well.
“Whether one serves at the state level or the federal level, the responsibility is the same. To serve the people honestly, and to work for the good of the entire nation; that is the standard Selangor holds itself to, and the one it will continue to uphold,” he said.
Ng also argued that Wee's comparison was misleading because it relied on selected indicators that portrayed Johor more favourably.
“Some figures are shown as percentages and others as nominal values, and each one is picked to make Johor look ahead. That is not an honest comparison; it is cherry-picking,” he said.
Selangor's larger economic base should be taken into account when assessing growth rates.
"Here is the simple truth: Selangor’s economy was already far larger, and its gross domestic product per capita was already higher than Johor’s. When you start from a bigger base, your growth rate will naturally look smaller.
“That does not mean you are behind," he said.
