Shah Alam

Shah Alam is a city in Malaysia and is the capital of the state of Selangor. It is mostly in the Petaling District, with a small part in the Klang District. The name Shah Alam comes from Persian and means "king of the world."

The city became Selangor's capital in 1978, replacing Kuala Lumpur. This change happened because Kuala Lumpur became a Federal Territory in 1974. Shah Alam was important because it was Malaysia's first planned city after the country became independent from Britain in 1957.

History

Malaysia grew quickly after it became independent in 1957. Shah Alam used to be called Sungai Renggam and was known for its rubber and oil palm farms. Later, the area was called Batu Tiga and was important for trading rubber and palm oil. In 1973, the Selangor government chose this place to build a new town. It was planned to be between Kuala Lumpur and Port Klang.

The name Shah Alam was given by the Sultan of Selangor to honor his father. The city officially opened in 1974 to be the new administrative center of Selangor, replacing Kuala Lumpur. On December 7, 1978, Shah Alam became the capital of Selangor. Over the years, the city's area grew through additions from nearby regions.

Shah Alam became an official city on October 10, 2000. Its first mayor wanted to make it a modern city that shows the achievements of the Malay people.

Geography

Shah Alam is located in the state of Selangor, mostly in the Petaling District and partly in the Klang District. It covers an area of 290.3 km². The city borders Subang Jaya and Petaling Jaya to the east, Klang to the west, Kuala Selangor and Selayang to the north, and Kuala Langat to the south. It is part of the Klang Valley, a busy area that includes Kuala Lumpur and many nearby towns.

Shah Alam has a flat landscape, with some gentle hills in the north. The city is divided into sections, with most space used for homes and smaller areas for shops and businesses. There are many places to shop, especially in the city center. The streets have signs in two different writing styles. Like other places in Malaysia, Shah Alam has a warm, rainy climate with lots of sunshine.

Governance

Shah Alam is managed by the Shah Alam City Council, an agency of the Selangor state government. The council was created when Shah Alam became the capital city of Selangor. It started in a small shop and moved to bigger buildings over time. In 2000, Shah Alam became a city, and the council was upgraded to a city council. Since then, nine mayors have led the city, with the current mayor being Mohd Fauzi Yatim since 2024.

In the country's parliament, Shah Alam and nearby areas are represented by members from the Pakatan Harapan party.

Economy

Shah Alam's economy is closely tied to the state government because it is the capital of Selangor. Besides government jobs, the city is known for manufacturing and services. Factories and plants are important, especially in areas like Batu Tiga and Seksyen 26, 27, and 28. Some well-known companies have operations here, including Fraser and Neave, Panasonic-Matsushita, and Volvo, which is the oldest car assembly plant in Malaysia. The car company Proton was started in Shah Alam and still has its headquarters and an assembly plant there. Toyota also has an assembly plant in Shah Alam.

The big supermarket chain Giant Hypermarket has its main office at the Giant Hypermarket Shah Alam Stadium in the city.

Education

Shah Alam has many places for students to learn. Universiti Teknologi MARA, also called UiTM, is close to the city. It has a big area on the western hills. There is also a special campus called INTEC UiTM for students preparing to study abroad.

Other schools in Shah Alam include the University of Selangor and Management and Science University (MSU). There are also many primary and secondary schools, like SK Bukit Rimau and SMK Kota Kemuning. Some areas have more schools than students, while other areas have fewer schools. Right now, Shah Alam has 23 secondary schools, 1 technical school, 1 vocational school, and 37 primary schools. The Chinese Taipei International School (Kuala Lumpur) is located in Section 32.

Transportation

Shah Alam is linked to other big cities in the Klang Valley by many major highways. These include the Federal Highway, New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE), Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE), North–South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Setiawangsa Pantai Expressway (SPE), and Kemuning–Shah Alam Highway (LKSA). The city is near two big airports. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is 30 km away and serves international flights, while Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang handles domestic flights.

People in Shah Alam can use trains to travel to other cities. The KTM Komuter commuter train stops at stations like Shah Alam Komuter station, Padang Jawa Komuter station, and Sungai Buloh Komuter station. There are also bus and taxi services in the city, with a main hub in Section 17.

Healthcare

Shah Alam has many private clinics throughout the city. The main government clinic is Klinik Kesihatan Shah Alam, located in Section 7. There is another government clinic in Section 19.

A government hospital named Shah Alam Hospital opened on October 5, 2015. It is used for teaching medical students and is also located in Section 7.

There are seven private hospitals in Shah Alam, including KPJ Selangor Specialist Hospital, Salam Shah Alam Specialist Hospital, and Avisena Specialist Hospital, among others.

Culture

Demographics

As of 2023, Shah Alam has a population of 438,745 people.

Religion

Shah Alam is most famous for its mosque, the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque. It is also called the Blue Mosque and is one of the largest mosques in Malaysia and Southeast Asia. The mosque can hold many people at once. Its blue and silver dome is very tall, and the mosque has four tall minarets. The mosque was built when Shah Alam became the new capital of Selangor in 1974 and was finished in 1988. Islam is the main religion for many people in Shah Alam.

There is also a special Buddhist place called Samadhi Vihara, finished in 2012. It has a unique Shrine Hall shaped like a lotus flower and offers Buddhist activities and programs.

Tourism

The Blue Mosque looks over a beautiful garden called the Garden of Islamic Arts. This garden has nine galleries showing Islamic art like calligraphy, sculptures, paintings, and architecture. It sometimes has traditional Islamic performances.

The Selangor State Museum (Sultan Alam Shah Museum) shows treasures and artefacts about Selangor's history. Near the museum is the old Selangor State Library. There is also a place called the Selangor Islamic Arts Complex with many Islamic artworks, including different styles of khat, and a college for Islamic art. An art gallery and performance centre called Laman Budaya is also nearby.

Shah Alam has many parks and gardens, such as the Shah Alam Lake Gardens, the Shah Alam National Botanical Park, and the Kota Kemuning Lakeside Park.

i-City Shah Alam is a fun place with bright LED lights at night. It has a water park, a 3D museum, a Ferris Wheel, and a Snowwalk. It is a popular spot for photos.

Sports

Shah Alam has a big sports complex called the Shah Alam Sports Complex. It used to have a very large stadium called Shah Alam Stadium, which was the biggest in Malaysia until a new one was built. The stadium was used for a challenge in the first season of The Amazing Race Asia.

In 2016, a group of football experts formed a new club called Shah Alam Antlers F.C. They wanted to create a better football system and focus on the people of Shah Alam. The club plays its home games at Panasonic Stadium and is part of the Klang Valley League.

There is also an indoor stadium called Melawati Stadium, which can hold many people. It has hosted many events.

The Shah Alam Sports Complex also has an aquatic centre, a Go-Kart track, and an extreme park.

Shah Alam hosted some events for the 1998 Commonwealth Games, including road cycling and boxing.

Recreation

Uptown Shah Alam is a popular spot with food stalls, concerts, and games.

Bon Odori is an annual event held during Obon to celebrate Japanese culture. It includes Japanese food, drinks, art, and dance. The event is free and organized by Japanese groups in Kuala Lumpur.

Wet World is Malaysia's largest water theme park chain, with a venue in Shah Alam.

The Shah Alam Lake Garden is a big public park with three lakes, gazebos, walking paths, jogging trails, event halls, and playgrounds. There are also animals like peacocks and geese, and families can enjoy water activities.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Malaysia

Sister cities

Shah Alam has two special friends, called sister cities. These cities work together and share good ideas.