Klang to become fourth city in Selangor this year

KLANG: This town, which houses the country’s busiest seaport, will be upgraded to city status this year.

Local Government Development Minister Nga Kor Ming said the 133-year-old town had met all the required criteria to become a city.

“Its population has exceeded 500,000 people, it has a sustainable source of income and the Klang Municipal Council (MPK) achieved a yearly earnings of more than RM100mil,” he said.

He added that the decision to upgrade Klang’s status was made at the Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Klang would be proclaimed a city and MPK to become a city hall, he said, adding that the date would be announced by Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

“This means MPK has the financial strength and sustainability to provide town services that are efficient, of good quality and with international standards for the benefit and well-being of the residents,’’ he said after attending a ministry’s event here.

After the proclamation, Klang will be the fourth city in Selangor after Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya and Shah Alam, as well as the nation’s 20th city.

Nga also announced that his ministry had approved MPK’s RM5mil financial request for 21 projects to upgrade the soon-to-be city. In addition, the state government will pump in another RM5mil for the upgrading works.

The funds will be used to upgrade the Port Klang wet market, Kota Bridge’s pedestrian and bicycle paths, a playground in Bukit Tinggi of Jalan Goh Hock Huat (also known as Jalan Keretapi Lama) and to build new public toilets at Taman Pengakalan Batu park, among others.

“The ministry has also requested an allocation of RM24.6mil from the Works Ministry for the roads here to be upgraded,’’ Nga said, adding that this matter would be discussed after the state election.