
Speed Selangor policy to kick off in October
BUSINESSES in Selangor can look forward to shorter approval times for planning permits when the Speed Selangor policy is implemented in October.
Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the policy was expected to accelerate business and investment related approval time for planning permits in designated industrial areas to just one month or less.
At present, such approvals can take up to three-and-a-half months.
He said the policy was a combination of similar initiatives carried out at the local authority level.
'Now we are combining everything, placing it under one framework and we will adopt it across the board,' he said during a press conference after launching the Publicity and Public Participation Programme for Sepang Municipal Council Draft Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) at Semarak Hall in Cyberjaya.
Amirudin said the state government had started internal training and trial sessions in preparation for the kick-off.
'Everything is ready. We could have implemented it on July 1 or even Aug 1, but I just wanted to test it out first.
'Our officers are undergoing training for its implementation.'
He also said that the policy would have a platform for public complaints, as part of efforts to enhance the state's service delivery.
Separately, Amirudin said the state would form a special task force to combat illegal dumping, a widespread problem in Selangor, with Dengkil, Kajang and Hulu Selangor among the badly affected areas.
He said the problem of illegal dumping was connected to land and enforcement matters.
As such, Amirudin said joint action was needed to address the issue.
He said present enforcement efforts followed the National Land Code 1965, which limited the state's ability to act swiftly against offenders.
'We need to respond quickly to public complaints.
'Action needs to be taken not only against the illegal dumping ground operators; landowners should also be held accountable for illegal activities on their property,' he said, adding that the state had spent millions of ringgit to clean up sites after land was confiscated due to illegal dumping.
However, procedural hurdles remained a challenge, Amirudin said.
'There was a case where the court overturned our action in confiscating the land, saying the notice period was insufficient.
'This shows we must restructure our legal framework to ensure stricter penalties, including higher fines and the ability to confiscate land more effectively,' he said.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
‘Swift action key to price stability'
Subject to tax: Fruits for sale at shops in Petaling Jaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star PUTRAJAYA: Among ways to prevent unnecessary price hikes is to strengthen existing mechanisms for price monitoring and enforcement, says a consumer rights activist. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) secretary-general Saravanan Thambirajah said this is one of the most immediate actions the government could take. 'When prices of essential items are being hiked up arbitrarily or without justification, there must be swift investigation and enforcement by the authorities. 'The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry's call for consumer associations to serve as its eyes and ears is a good initiative, but it will only be effective if reports from the ground lead to real action,' he said. Saravanan added that the government must focus on transparency to prevent the public from becoming victims of inflated prices or being wrongly taxed. 'When consumers know the market price of goods, they are in a better position to make informed choices. 'Fomca has begun receiving feedback from consumers regarding price hikes associated with the recent increase in the SST (sales and service tax) from 6% to 8%. 'Consumers are still confused about which products and services are affected. 'This confusion creates a fertile ground for abuse. Some traders may raise prices unjustifiably, citing the tax increase as the reason, even for items that are not actually taxed,' he added. Saravanan said Fomca's role was not only to inform and educate consumers on their rights but also to relay their concerns to the relevant enforcement bodies. 'For the mechanism to work well, consistent and visible enforcement is needed to ensure traders do not misuse the sales tax revision as a pretext for profiteering,' said Saravanan. Similarly, Malaysian Consumer Friendly Organisation vice-president Azlin Othman said the government should monitor logistics costs as well as establish a more balanced tax policy and make regular inspections at business premises. 'Quick and consistent action is important to protect consumers and maintain price stability,' said Azlin. Consumers' Association of Penang president Mohideen Abdul Kadeer said stronger enforcement was needed instead of waiting at the last moment for consumers to lodge complaints of getting cheated. 'The government should set up help desks or mobile units to proactively receive feedback. 'Traders who cheat consumers must be brought to court and face the maximum penalty,' added Mohideen.


The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Planning for greying Petaling Jaya
Mohamad Zahri (second left) and Petaling Jaya deputy mayor Aznan Hassan giving tokens of appreciation to senior citizens during the unveiling of the draft Petaling Jaya Care Economy Action Plan 2025-2030 during a community event in Taman Aman. — YAP CHEE HONG/The Star A FIVE-year action plan has been drafted to transform Petaling Jaya into an age-friendly, caring and inclusive city. Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) unveiled the draft of its Petaling Jaya Care Economy Action Plan 2025-2030, including the 'PJ Food with Love' programme at a community event in Taman Aman. In a statement, MBPJ said the city, which is among the earliest urban settlements in Selangor, is now facing the reality of a rapidly greying population with 12.6% of residents aged over 65. Neighbourhoods such as Section 17, Section 19, SS3, Taman Medan and Kampung Tunku are seeing some of the highest concentrations of senior citizens. This reality demands strategic planning and the provision of a more holistic, inclusive and sustainable community care support system. Petaling Jaya mayor Mohamad Zahri Samingon said the plan was a comprehensive strategy for building a high-impact care ecosystem. 'This plan not only focuses on providing services but also touches on caregiver professionalism, facilitating care centre licences and compliance, developing care data and technology as well as economic opportunities,' he said. The mayor added that the plan would facilitate cross-sector collaboration between the government, communities, non-governmental organisations and the private sector in realising Petaling Jaya's aspirations of become a caring, age-friendly and inclusive city. The Care Economy Action Plan 2025-2030 is aligned with the state government's policy but has been localised to meet the city's needs. It was developed through extensive engagement with community members, government agencies, NGOs and operators of more than 200 care centres. Stakeholders came together during a February workshop and again in May at a technical working group session to ensure the strategy is grounded in reality. The 'PJ Food with Love' programme, meanwhile, is aimed at senior citizens living alone who may be especially vulnerable. This programme is implemented through a strategic collaboration with Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia (Agecope) Selangor, ManagedCare Sdn Bhd and Le Maison Blissful. The initiative will deliver nutritious meals to homes, ensure regular health checks by medical teams and provide panic buttons for emergencies. Volunteers from Agecope Selangor will make weekly phone calls to check on recipients. Corporate partners such as Sunway Integrated Properties Sdn Bhd have contributed food and souvenirs for beneficiaries.


The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Speed Selangor policy to kick off in October
Amirudin (second from left) checking out the Sepang Municipal Council Draft Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) display in Cyberjaya. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star BUSINESSES in Selangor can look forward to shorter approval times for planning permits when the Speed Selangor policy is implemented in October. Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the policy was expected to accelerate business and investment related approval time for planning permits in designated industrial areas to just one month or less. At present, such approvals can take up to three-and-a-half months. He said the policy was a combination of similar initiatives carried out at the local authority level. 'Now we are combining everything, placing it under one framework and we will adopt it across the board,' he said during a press conference after launching the Publicity and Public Participation Programme for Sepang Municipal Council Draft Local Plan 2035 (Amendment) at Semarak Hall in Cyberjaya. Amirudin said the state government had started internal training and trial sessions in preparation for the kick-off. 'Everything is ready. We could have implemented it on July 1 or even Aug 1, but I just wanted to test it out first. 'Our officers are undergoing training for its implementation.' He also said that the policy would have a platform for public complaints, as part of efforts to enhance the state's service delivery. Separately, Amirudin said the state would form a special task force to combat illegal dumping, a widespread problem in Selangor, with Dengkil, Kajang and Hulu Selangor among the badly affected areas. He said the problem of illegal dumping was connected to land and enforcement matters. As such, Amirudin said joint action was needed to address the issue. He said present enforcement efforts followed the National Land Code 1965, which limited the state's ability to act swiftly against offenders. 'We need to respond quickly to public complaints. 'Action needs to be taken not only against the illegal dumping ground operators; landowners should also be held accountable for illegal activities on their property,' he said, adding that the state had spent millions of ringgit to clean up sites after land was confiscated due to illegal dumping. However, procedural hurdles remained a challenge, Amirudin said. 'There was a case where the court overturned our action in confiscating the land, saying the notice period was insufficient. 'This shows we must restructure our legal framework to ensure stricter penalties, including higher fines and the ability to confiscate land more effectively,' he said.