History

Before 1963, Shah Alam was known as Sungai Renggam and was a palm oil plantation which was situated between Petaling Jaya and Bandar Diraja Klang while being connected through the only highway at that time, the Federal Highway.

Malaysia grew rapidly after its independence in 1957 under the ‘Father of Modernization’, the second Prime Minister of Malaysia, Allahyarham Tun Abdul Razak Hussein. Shah Alam was opened in 1963 with the purpose of making it the administrative center of Selangor once Kuala Lumpur was made a Federal District on February 1st, 1974. With the consent of 8th DYMM Sultan of Selangor, Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Al-Haj on December 7th, 1978, Shah Alam was proclaimed the capital of Selangor with an area of 41.68 square km. Shah Alam had encountered several processes of extending its areas and the last was on January 1st 1997. Through the Gazette Plan 1190, Shah Alam was extended to 293 square km.

The rapid growth of Shah Alam and its evident importance had  upgraded its status  to be declared a city on October 10th 2000. This declaration was officiated by YAB Dato’Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo, 13th Chief Minister of Selangor. Shah Alam, which had been administered by the Shah Alam Municipal Council Authoritative Party since 1978, was automatically given the status of Shah Alam City Council. With a population density of 450,000, Shah Alam targets an additional growth of population to 700,000 by 2010 as a result from a nationwide migration of populace aside from the increasing number of births.