09/12/2025

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TUESDAY | DEC 9, 2025

Selangor cements status as top investment destination

Ű BY JOHN GILBERT sunbiz@thesundaily.com

BANTING: Selangor continues to excel as the top state for investments, achieving approved investments of RM101.1 billion in 2024, almost double the RM55.3 billion recorded in 2023. In reinforcing the state’s position as the region’s top investment destination, Selangor executive councillor for investment, trade and mobility Ng Sze Han said, from January to September 2025, out of 4,874 projects in Malaysia, 1,470 were in Selangor. “That means 30% of all local and foreign investment arrived in our state,” he told delegates at the grand launch of IOI Industrial Park @ Banting yesterday. “The Selangor government wants to build the computing platform for the industries of tomorrow. We are moving beyond conventional land. We are building integrated, con nected ecosystems,” he added. Ng said IOI Industrial Park @ Banting is critical and drives three fundamental outcomes. First, it serves as a high-value investment launchpad by targeting New Industrial Master Plan 2030 sectors such as electrical and electronics, biotechnology and logistics – industries that will define the next era of growth. Second, it builds intelligence by creating demand for high-skill employment, because in today’s economy, the most valuable resource is talent, and anchoring that talent in Kuala Langat elevates income and transforms the entire ecosystem. Third, it strengthens throughput by enhancing trade efficiencies and positioning the park to maximise the flow of goods, directly reinforcing Selangor’s gross domestic product through simple economic physics. “IOI Properties anchored this in Banting. It fits perfectly into our Integrated Development Region in South Selangor Blueprint, noted Ng. Moving on, he said, the Selangor KUALA LUMPUR: Sime Darby Property Bhd and Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd (Mydin) yesterday marked a major milestone in Malaysia’s logistics sector with the ground breaking of the country’s first fully automated distribution centre at the City of Elmina, Selangor. The RM450 million facility, span ning nearly 19 acres, is expected to transform Mydin’s supply chain capabilities and set a new benchmark for automation in retail distribution. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who officiated the event, highlighted the project’s strategic importance, describing it as a “vital addition to our national supply chain security” and a key step in ce menting Selangor’s role as Malaysia’s logistics gateway to Asean. He noted that the centre would reduce food wastage, lower logistics costs and Ű BY DEEPALAKSHMI MANICKAM sunbiz@thesundaily.com

System, they expect a daily capacity of 10,200 pallets and this will improve efficiency while allowing their work force to focus on higher-value tasks, he added. He acknowledged the support of the Selangor government, noting that collaboration with authorities was instrumental in streamlining approvals and facilitating digitalised processes. “As co-chair of the Special Task Force to Facilitate Business, we aim to make it easier to do business by reducing bureaucracy and promoting efficiency,” he said. From Sime Darby Property’s pers pective, the MDC represents a long term strategic partnership rather than a conventional developer-tenant re lationship. Group managing director and CEO Datuk Seri Azmir Merican said the facility reflects the company’s role as “an ecosystem builder that supports operational and expansion needs of major enterprises.” which is attributed to the ongoing efforts and collaboration by Malaysia Investment Development Authority (Mida) and Invest Selangor, with the support of the local council and all other authorities and utilities com panies,” he said, elaborating on the recognition of the ongoing efforts and collaborations by the government, local council, authorities and utilities companies. Teh said Kuala Lumpur Inter national Airport, is just 15km away and is directly connected via the Elite Expressway, making air-freight– driven industries IOI Industrial Park @ Banting’s top priority. “These include high-value and time-sensitive goods such as luxury items, premium electronics, and E&E products, as well as manufacturing sectors like pharmaceuticals that rely heavily on air transport. “This location is also exceptionally well supported by power infrastructure, with three rows of pylons – two at 275kVA and one at 33kVA – making it highly suitable for industries with high power demand such as data centres and advanced manufacturing. “Phase One of the development has already been launched with a total of 103 factory and warehouse units, and due to the overwhelming response we have received, we are optimistic about moving into sales for Phase Two very soon,” Teh said. Engineered for resilience and operational reliability, IOI Industrial Park @ Banting builds confidence through flood-resistant design with a bioswale and scenic water retention lake for natural stormwater manage ment, dual high-voltage Tenaga

o IOI Properties launches 322-acre industrial park in Banting

government is business-friendly and future-ready. “This park is a part nership. The state provides the stability and the policy framework (RS-1). IOI delivers world-class infrastructure. And the investors bring the innovation.” IOI Properties Group Bhd’s launch of its 322-acre IOI Industrial Park @ Banting signifies notable progress in advancing its industrial segment strategy. Further, the newly opened 12,000 square-foot IOI Galleria @ Banting, IOI Industrial Park, is a purpose-built on-site sales gallery that provides investors with a commanding view of the park’s master plan, as part of the IOI Industrial Park Series unveiled in 2024. IOI Properties Group chief operating officer, property develo pment (Malaysia), Teh Chin Guan said, IOI Industrial Park @ Banting is targeted to contribute an estimated gross development value of RM1.8 billion in the next five years to the group’s industrial segment. “This shift is in line with our nation-building initiatives, namely the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and the National Energy Transition Roadmap, which were launched in 2023. Since then, the interest in green industrial investment has risen, ensure essential goods reach the rakyat faster, supporting the state’s efforts to manage the cost of living. “The Mydin Distribution Centre (MDC) is more than just a large building, it represents a strategic injection of growth and innovation into Selangor’s economic landscape,” said Amirudin. “With automation and digital isation through advanced robotics, automated storage and retrieval systems and real-time data analytics, our homegrown Malaysian corpo rations are well-positioned to achieve global-level productivity and stan dards,” he added. Meanwhile, Mydin managing director Datuk Wira Dr Ameer Ali Mydin said that currently their Shah Alam distribution centre, managed by almost 350 employees, handles 1,800 pallets per day. With the MDC, managed by just 132 employees, largely due to the Automated Storage and Retrieval

From left: Kuala Langat District and Land Office chief assistant district officer Nur Afizah Ahmad, Mida investment promotion executive director Faizal Jalaludin, Kuala Langat Municipal Council president Mohd Hasry Nor Mohd, Ng, Teh, Investment Selangor Bhd CEO Datuk Hasan Azhari Idris and IOI Properties director of property development (central region) Ho Kwok Wing.

Nasional Bhd transmission lines ensuring uninterrupted power for high-demand users such as data centres, and excellent connectivity with efficient traffic planning, multiple access points, highway linkages, and shaded, walkable path ways within a holistic, safe, and sustainable environment.

Well-suited for a wide range of industries, the development offers detached factories for large-scale manufacturing and metal processing, semi-detached factories for light to medium industries, and cluster factories for light industries such as food and beverage or textile pro cessing.

Sime Darby Property, Mydin break ground on fully auto distribution hub

First Selangor Plan and Second Selangor Plan, which emphasise high-tech industrial ecosystems, digitalisation and investment-friendly policies. Amirudin noted that such initiatives support high-skilled job creation in automation management, logistics technology, and data-driven warehouse operations, while stimulating oppor tunities for local SMEs. Construction of the MDC is slated for completion in the third quarter of 2027, positioning the City of Elmina as a premier industrial ecosystem and a key engine for regional growth. Beyond its operational benefits, the project is expected to strengthen Malaysia’s national supply chain resilience, enhance food security, and drive broader economic development across Selangor and the Klang Valley. “This groundbreaking is not merely about moving soil. We are planting the seeds of a highly competitive, technology-driven and prosperous future for all rakyat Selangor,”said Amiruddin.

He added that the City of Elmina location provides unparalleled con nectivity, with access to five major highways that form a logistics hub for the Klang Valley and beyond. The facility, developed under Sime Darby Property’s built-to-suit-to-lease model, is designed to deliver a 240% increase in throughput, a 36% boost in pallet storage efficiency, and a more than 50% reduction in manual labour dependency, resulting in significant cost and energy savings. “The partnership is not just about infrastructure; it is about people, talent, and economic growth,” Azmir said, adding that by leveraging cutting-edge automation and inte grating into a high-specification industrial ecosystem, Mydin will continue to serve its customers effi ciently while contributing to Malaysia’s broader industrial trans formation. The project aligns with the state’s industrial development blueprints,