KUALA LUMPUR: Industry players and stakeholders believe that the opening of the West Coast Expressway's (WCE) Section 1 would not only lead to greater connectivity and accessibility, but also spur economic and tourist activity in Selangor and Perak.
AREA Management Sdn Bhd executive chairman Datuk George Stewart Labrooy said WCE was a major consideration when the company sought new locations to develop Selangor's next industrial hub.
He said the direct link from WCE to its project Compass@Kota Seri Langat, a green managed industrial park in Selangor that offers ready-built and built-to-suit industrial products, gave it a clear competitive edge over other developments.
"What attracted us to the location was the fact the WCE alignment had been finalised and it passed through the development.
"Distances and accessibility to the main ports of Westport, North Port and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 and 2 are unbeatable.
"In addition, the WCE will in time, become the most important infrastructure development undertaken in the last 20 years. It provides access to all highways in the country and connects the industrial heartland of the west coast.
"The location has attracted attention since we launched our development in 2020, with many other developers moving into the area to expand their industrial capacity in Selangor and more importantly attract foreign direct investments to Malaysia."
WCE's Section 1, which connects Banting to the South Klang Valley Expressway (SKVE), was officially launched yesterday.
The Banting-SKVE route is the seventh of 11 sections of the WCE alignment that have been completed.
Association of Malaysia Hauliers (AMH) president Soo Chee Yeong said hauliers now would have better road connectivity to industrial areas and Port Klang following the opening of WCE's Section 1.
He said the additional route was timely given the increasing traffic volume on the North-South Expressway (PLUS), particularly during festive seasons.
This, he added, would benefit 270 AMH members in Peninsular Malaysia who operate a total of 10,000 trucks, which account for 70 per cent of the market.
"Additionally, the WCE passes by main industrial areas such as Banting and Kapar, where container trucks to and from Port Klang can now easily access via KESAS (Shah Alam Expressway) and SKVE (South Klang Valley Expressway)."
He also lauded WCE's involvement of industry players in the highway's planning stages, which led to road networks to industrial areas already factored in.
Meanwhile, Orang Besar Jajahan Manjung Datuk Shaharudin Nazari said the WCE's completion was expected to boost regional growth, enhance transportation efficiency and contribute to the overall country's economic progress, particularly in Perak and Selangor.
He noted that it would be particularly significant given that it is Visit Perak Year.
He said as an alternative to PLUS, it could reduce traffic congestion and offer a faster route, benefiting industrial areas in Manjung and providing a direct route to Banting near KLIA.
"The WCE will aid in achieving the goals outlined in the Perak Sejahtera 2030 blueprint, especially in Manjung district, which focuses on industries such as shipping, tourism, agriculture and business services."
Shaharudin said industrial areas in Perak, such as Kampung Acheh and Lumut, would benefit from the direct route to the Klang Valley, leading to savings on fuel, maintenance and overall logistics costs.
On tourism, he said WCE would also spur more tourist activity to the Pangkor duty-free island, Teluk Batik, Teluk Senangin, Ulu Licin Beruas, Kuala Kangsar and Taiping.