Selangor’s Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari has outlined ambitious plans to accelerate the state’s development through Rancangan Selangor 2 (RS-2), a strategic framework covering the period from 2026 to 2030. Building on Selangor’s current status as Malaysia’s most developed state—which contributed 26.5% to the national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025 with a GDP of RM460.1 billion—Amirudin aims to position Selangor as a regional benchmark for South-East Asia.
Amirudin, serving his second term since being sworn in again in August 2023, envisions Selangor as a “model state” characterized by strong socio-economic stability, high productivity, and a superior quality of life. He acknowledges the challenge of maintaining Selangor’s leading role nationally while also ensuring equitable development across its varied districts. “Our goal is to retain Selangor as the heartbeat and main contributor of Malaysia but also to develop each locality according to its unique niche,” he said.
Under the first phase of development, Rancangan Selangor 1 (RS-1), the state implemented a clusterisation policy aimed at harnessing the unique economic strengths of each district. Klang, for example, serves as a key port and food production hub, while Sabak Bernam focuses on plantations and livestock. Hulu Selangor is emerging in the automobile sector with investments from companies such as Chery, Perodua, and Proton. RS-1 laid the foundation for targeted regional planning and development initiatives.
RS-2 introduces a more focused mission to close the economic and infrastructural gaps between districts, addressing disparities in income, public amenities, and development potential. Amirudin emphasized a balanced and measured approach, cautioning against rapid development that could lead to unintended problems. Instead, the plan envisions empowering less developed areas, such as Sabak Bernam, Kuala Selangor, and Gombak, to foster their own economic activities and reduce the current reliance on more urbanised centres like Petaling Jaya and Shah Alam.
Population distribution and migration trends also factor into the new plan. Currently, over four million of Selangor’s approximately seven million residents are concentrated in Klang, Shah Alam, Subang Jaya, and Petaling Jaya. Amirudin aims to promote population dispersal by improving connectivity and infrastructure in smaller districts, enabling residents to live closer to their hometowns while accessing employment opportunities in urban centres.
Amirudin also highlights the importance of continuing to attract both local and international investments to sustain Selangor’s growth, while ensuring inclusive development so that the influx of migrants from other states does not undermine the welfare of native Selangorians.
In evaluating Selangor’s ambition to benchmark against other South-East Asian regions, Amirudin observes the limitations of direct comparisons with city-states like Singapore due to differing governance structures and powers. Instead, Selangor intends to measure itself against comparable provinces with similar economic activities and responsibilities to set new standards for quality of life and economic performance.
As Selangor moves forward with RS-2, the focus remains on fostering sustainable development, reducing regional inequalities, and securing its position as a leading driver of Malaysia’s economy and development over the next decade.