The west coast expressway (wce) project is expected to be a major catalyst in bridging the development gap between rural and urban areas:he West Coast Expressway (WCE) project is expected to be a major catalyst in bridging the development gap between rural and urban areas, especially in northern Selangor. Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said the extension of the WCE to Tanjong Karang can shorten travel times and subsequently unlock the development potential of northern Selangor.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Amirudin highlighted that the completion of the Tanjong Karang connection would reduce travel time by between 45 minutes and an hour. This enhancement in connectivity is anticipated to unlock the potential of northern Selangor areas such as Kuala Selangor, Tanjong Karang, Sungai Besar, and Sabak Bernam.

He made these remarks during the Second Selangor Plan (RS-2) Engagement Session with editors from media agencies. The session was attended by various media figures, including Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

The Section 7 route is one of the crucial stretches of the WCE in Selangor, comprising an alignment from Assam Jawa, Kuala Selangor, to Tanjong Karang, spanning 29.5 kilometres. Amirudin mentioned that one potential area for development is housing, enabling residents to live in northern Selangor while working in urban centres like Shah Alam or Klang.

Amirudin further added that the First Selangor Plan (RS-1) showed that regional development tends to proceed slowly without robust public infrastructure support. Hence, public infrastructure will be a focal point in RS-2, with the state government continuing to lobby for more infrastructure investment through the Malaysia Plan.

He emphasized that a lack of investment in public infrastructure or connectivity leads to slower development, as evidenced by past experiences with the Sabak Bernam Development Area (SABDA) and the Integrated Development Region in South Selangor (IDRISS). Amirudin asserted that government intervention, coupled with cooperation with companies, is essential for progress.

Earlier today, Amirudin launched RS-2, the state's economic roadmap for the 2026-2030 period. The plan outlines six missions across 25 focus areas and targets RM600 billion in economic value over the period.