KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri Amirudin Shari hopes to leave a legacy that empowers human capital development, strengthens long-term planning, and explores new technologies and resources when the curtain finally falls on his stint as state leader.
“We have achieved a significant shift in the technical and vocational sector through the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre (STDC); we have implemented welfare-oriented initiatives, such as providing tuition for children.
“We have also focused on empowering our universities; an effort that, while not yet perfect, I believe will be remembered by the people of Selangor, especially as I move forward in my career,” he said during a dialogue at Selangor Investment & Industrial Park Expo (SPARK), held in conjunction with Selangor International Business Summit (SIBS), at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre today.
The second legacy Amirudin hopes to leave behind is his long-term planning strategy like the First and Second Selangor Plans (RS-1 and RS-2).
“I have drawn inspiration from the concept of clustering, which has since been incorporated into the state’s five-year policy framework.
“However, time is not enough, as we are only in the second iteration of RS; this framework could serve as a broader structure to envision, for instance, what Selangor might look like in its 100th year.
“Looking ahead, perhaps 70 or 71 years into the future, we can develop a clear vision or an effective roadmap for the state’s development.”
On the third legacy, Amirudin said he wants to explore new resources and discover new technologies for the state.
“I am not entirely certain if I will have the time to accomplish this. With one to two years remaining, I intend to focus my efforts on exploring new revenue streams for the state, as well as discovering new technologies.
“I have frequently mentioned artificial intelligence (AI). Thankfully, we have already explored the concept of a smart city. Now is the time to look into nuclear energy, a field that represents the future, one we cannot afford to ignore and which is essential for Selangor to sustain its development momentum moving forward.
“There are other initiatives as well, but these are among the key projects I have championed over the past seven or eight years.”
Amirudin also shared that being menteri besar has taught him a fundamental lesson: that a government needs time to implement policies and ideas, even in a time crunch.
“In a way, I am fortunate; just as I might have risked becoming complacent, a crisis would inevitably arise. There were always crises unfolding. I would think I could finally take a breather, only for a major issue to emerge. Then, of course, there was the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Just when things felt stable, with the federal and state governments aligned (following the 2018 general election) and suggesting a period of smooth sailing, the ‘Sheraton Move’ occurred, among other events.
“Yet, I am grateful. It served as a valuable lesson and provided me with profound realisations. Sometimes, negative incidents can actually yield a positive impact,” Amirudin added.
