SHAH ALAM, Dec 7 — The expected slower global economic growth next year will be used by Selangor as a period to strengthen its economic base as a developing industrial state through the First Selangor Plan (RS-1) 2021-2025.

Standing Committee on Investment, Trade, Industry and Small and Medium Industries chairman Datuk Teng Chang Khim said Selangor is anticipated to be unable to record good achievements next year but the term will be best used to plan the state’s future.

"That is why we introduced RS-1 and from there we have specialised in development by zones, namely the Integrated Development Region In South Selangor (IDRISS) and Sabak Bernam Development Area (SABDA),” he told Bernama.

RS-1, which was introduced by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari in July this year, is a comprehensive development plan designed based on short, medium and long-term strategies to achieve the vision of making Selangor a smart, prosperous and habitable state by 2025.

Teng said that with regional development planning, the state government will rely on the strength of each region to introduce various incentives to attract investors.

He added that development in Selangor next year will also be brisk with various development projects including the Selangor Maritime Gateway (SMG) project along the Klang River as well as mega projects, such as the redevelopment of the Shah Alam Stadium.

"The effect may not be immediate but at least we will be able to use this period to rebuild or further strengthen the foundation of Selangor as an industrial and developing state,” Teng said.

Regarding investment activities, he said the state government continues to emphasise focus industries such as life sciences, food and beverage manufacturing, electrical and electronics product manufacturing as well as machinery and equipment which are seen as growing industries in Selangor.

"In addition, two new industries that have been identified and have the potential to boost Selangor as an investment destination are logistics services and digital investment,” he said.

Teng noted that Selangor has overcome other states in the field of logistics services, whereby there have been four companies from abroad that have held groundbreaking ceremonies to build their logistics centres in the state in the last two to three months.

Regarding the development of the third port construction project on Carey Island, he said the project was still in the planning process but his side had already conducted a feasibility study.

"We have started with the planning and the feasibility study report has been made and further details have been obtained.

"The process is ongoing and we have not yet determined which investor is suitable,” Teng said, adding that within three to five years the construction of the port would begin.

In 2018, then Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the development of the third port on Carey Island was a long-term project to ensure that the country’s economic growth was not affected as the two terminals of Port Klang, the North Port and West Port, would reach maximum capacity by 2025. — Bernama