SHAH ALAM (Nov 13): The 233km long West Coast Expressway (WCE) from Taiping, Perak, to Banting, Selangor, is seen to boost economic development in the northern region of Selangor.

Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari said it was due to the fact that there would be more vehicles expected to use the expressway, thus benefiting local economic activities.

“At the same time, the state government will also ask relevant state exco members, namely, Rodziah Ismail (Entrepreneur, Rural, Village and Traditional Village Development) and V. Ganabatirau (Socio-Economic Empowerment, Development and Caring Government) to see appropriate development potential to be developed along the highway,” he said at a Selangor State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday.

He said this in his reply to a supplementary question from Ahmad Mustain Othman (PKR-Sabak) who wanted to know the state government’s allocation to Sabak Bernam.

Commenting further, Amirudin said it would be unfair for any party to label the state government did not develop the areas along the highway as various efforts had been implemented thus far.

“Previously, there were local companies that had built factories in the areas but there was no one interested to invest.

“However, we still have downstream economic activities and we plan to focus on those activities which include eco-tourism, fisheries and agriculture.

“It will involve areas including Kuala Selangor, Tanjong Karang and Sabak Bernam,” he said.