KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor State Development Corporation (PKNS) has launched SA Sentral, a major urban development project valued at RM3 billion, in a drive to revitalise the Section 14 area of Shah Alam, Selangor.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari announced that the project, which is expected to be completed in seven years, aims to transform Shah Alam into a vibrant business district.

The 64.7-hectare development will include various facilities such as Plaza Alam Sentral (PAS), Plaza Perangsang, SACC Mall, SACC Walk, Kompleks PKNS Shah Alam, Shah Alam Convention Centre (SACC), and additional areas in Section 14.

SA Sentral will be a transit-oriented development with interconnected buildings and a strategic location near the Dato' Menteri LRT 3 Station, linking it to the Klang Valley. The project will also incorporate Demand Responsive Transit (DRT) with enhanced bus services.

Amirudin said that SA Sentral is designed to revitalise Shah Alam, making it an appealing and lively city that caters to everyone from young professionals and newlyweds to retirees, thus avoiding urban decay.

He added that the development will boost the local economy by enhancing the retail, commercial, and hospitality sectors.

Amirudin noted that Shah Alam currently lacks international-standard hotels, and this development will help fill that gap.

In response to concerns about potential demolitions of iconic buildings in Shah Alam, Amirudin, who also chairs PKNS, clarified that the project will focus on upgrading, renovating, and expanding existing structures rather than demolishing them.

He assured that he would personally oversee the project's progress to avoid issues such as land subsidence experienced in other areas.

PKNS group chief executive officer Datuk Mahmud Abbas told Business Times two months ago that PKNS is shifting from its previous role as a low-cost housing developer to a more commercially driven entity, due to reduced state funding, including land premiums.

He noted that PKNS invests RM63 million annually in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Mahmud Abbas also highlighted that PKNS is no longer focusing on affordable housing, as other developers are now addressing that demand.