Selangor develops a single digital framework for 12 local authorities

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Selangor’s Single Digital Framework

Highlights

Selangor is implementing a shared digital architecture for 12 local authorities, backed by a RM369 million allocation under Smart State since 2021.
The Smart Selangor project received RM450 million in January to expand fibre-optic networks and public WiFi and integrate systems across government agencies.
The state’s 5G coverage has reached 96.9% of populated areas, while RS-2 targets the digitalisation of 85% of Selangor’s government administration by 2030.

This article was translated from the original. Read the original version by our correspondent here.

System integration plan and digital allocations

As reported by The Edge Malaysia, the state is building a shared digital architecture to enable local government systems and state agencies to connect and share data more seamlessly. The effort builds on a five-year allocation of RM369 million under the Smart State initiative, announced by Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari in April 2021, according to Smart Selangor Delivery Unit CEO Muhammad Gaddafi Musli.

He said the state is now moving beyond pilot projects to establish a shared operational backbone, as existing infrastructure had not been sufficient to support implementation on a larger scale. He said a large portion of the RM118 million was channelled into infrastructure development, including the procurement of CCTV cameras and the licences and software required for CCTV analytics.

Initiatives under the Smart Selangor agenda span four domains: smart government, smart economy, smart community and smart infrastructure. Examples include sensors in public rubbish bins, smart meters to monitor water consumption and detect leaks, and automated building systems to reduce energy use.

SSDU, a wholly owned subsidiary of Menteri Besar Selangor Incorporated, was established in May 2016 to lead the implementation of the state’s smart initiatives. Muhammad Gaddafi said SSDU itself received nearly RM5.75 million in state development grants in 2024 and 2025, while overall funding also covers a hybrid data centre, cloud infrastructure projects, and programmes run by government agencies and government-linked companies.

One project cited as a success is Smart Selangor Parking, which now has more than 5.8 million registered users and is managed by Rantaian Mesra Sdn Bhd under MBI Selangor. The state is also focusing on the Nine super app, launched in October 2025, which has been downloaded more than 50,000 times from the Google Play Store. It supports payments for parking, bills, assessment taxes and land taxes, as well as access to state government initiatives.

Impact on governance and the state’s digital coverage

System integration remains a key challenge because each local authority has different procurement processes, technologies and datasets, resulting in uneven levels of digital maturity. Muhammad Gaddafi said SSDU has no statutory authority over local authorities; instead, it coordinates, advises and ensures that technology implementation aligns with state policy.

He identified Shah Alam City Council, Petaling Jaya City Council and Subang Jaya City Council as among the leaders in Selangor’s digitalisation efforts. Shah Alam City Council was singled out as the only local authority in the state to have achieved Level 2, Developing Smart City, under Malaysia’s smart city rating. It also operates the Shah Alam Intelligent Monitoring System Integration, which uses artificial intelligence image recognition to monitor traffic flows and coordinate incident responses.

The state also uses the Smart Selangor Operation Centre to monitor traffic and disasters, including river-level sensors for flood management. Muhammad Gaddafi said the centre played an important role during the December 2021 floods, supporting round-the-clock operations and the coordination of evacuations for approximately 47,000 flood victims, particularly in Taman Sri Muda.

To broaden the economic and social benefits, Selangor is also focusing on digital inclusion in suburban and rural areas such as Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam. He said the state has achieved 5G network coverage of 96.9% in populated areas, while the Selangor development plan for 2026 to 2030, RS-2, targets the digitalisation of 85% of government administration by 2030 and the use of technology as a cross-sector driver of economic growth.

In January, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Selangor government exchanged a memorandum of understanding to strengthen the state’s digitalisation and smart city agenda, backed by an allocation of RM450 million. The initiative covers the expansion of fibre-optic networks, the provision of public WiFi and support for the implementation of Jendela, as the state works to build a digital architecture that enables systems across agencies to interoperate and data to be accessed across state administration.

In our earlier coverage of sovereign artificial intelligence (AI) cloud development , we discussed the government’s efforts to keep official documents and sensitive information secure in a self-managed cloud environment, supporting the country’s digital sovereignty agenda. We also highlighted the role of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the Ministry of Communications in implementing the initiative, alongside efforts to expand access to high-quality internet through Jendela and strengthen the digital economy.

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