SHAH ALAM, Aug 26 — The Second Selangor Plan (RS-2), which encompasses various areas and directions aligned with the needs of the state’s economic transformation, has the potential to open up new avenues for economic growth, said Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman economics professor Wong Chin Yoong.
As a five-year development plan and long-term strategic direction, RS-2 covers various key areas aimed at strengthening Selangor’s position as Malaysia’s economic locomotive.
“RS-2 opens up new avenues for economic growth in the aerospace sector, the creative economy, and the digital economy. It does not focus solely on property and tourism, but encompasses a broader range of emerging economic fields.
"This is the right direction,” he said in an interview with Media Selangor.
Wong emphasised that the outcomes of economic development must ultimately be felt by the people. Therefore, RS-2 should also emphasise improving the standard of living in Selangor and creating a state with high levels of connectivity and mobility, so the benefits of economic development can be translated into a better quality of life for the people.
“After examining RS-2, I found that one of its main directions and core rationale is that ‘development is freedom’. This concept is highly meaningful as the foundation of the overall development plan,” he said.
Wong added that “development is freedom” means that people have the freedom to work, the freedom to do business, the freedom from restrictions based on personal status and property ownership, as well as the freedom from poverty and hardship.
“Therefore, I believe that the various development projects contained in RS-2 are intended to provide greater opportunities for the people of Selangor, whether businesses or families, to grow,” he said.
When tabling RS-2 during the Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting on August 7, Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari cited the concept of “development is freedom” introduced by economist Amartya Sen.
He said that economic growth, investment, and productivity are important, but they are merely tools to achieve development.
True development means giving people the freedom to learn, work, do business, obtain healthcare, raise their children safely, and have the opportunity to determine their own futures.
Through RS-2, the state government is targeting five core industries: electrical and electronics, aerospace, automotive, the digital economy, and the creative economy, as Selangor's main economic engines by 2030.
These five areas will be actively developed through 13 initiatives to achieve sustainable economic growth and gross domestic product.
