Shah Alam MP Khalid Abdul Samad said yesterday that Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) must still consult the local population on a planned cinema there even though Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is not opposed to it.

Referring to a letter dated Jan 30 from the Selangor Sultan's office to Shah Alam mayor Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan stating that the ruler had "no objection" to the development the Alam Avenue complex which would include a cinema in Section 16, Shah Alam, Khalid said that did not amount to an endorsement.

NONE "The mayor must understand this was not approval, it was just a statement that there was no objection.

"MBSA should still consult the residents near the project and get their views because that is due process," told a press conference in Shah Alam yesterday.

Khalid ( above) was taking up complaints from local residents against the cinema and other entertainment outlets within the planned complex.

He noted that the letter had also stated: "His royal highness hopes that future construction of cinema will ensure that the number of cinemas and population are in appropriate ratio."

Respect for places of worship

He pointed out that there were already cinemas nearby, namely in i-City and Kota Raja.

"The sultan had requested before that such outlets not be located too close to places of worship and this planned cinema is only about 500m from the Padang Jawa mosque," he said.

As such, Khalid said he hoped the Shah Alam mayor will consult the locals on this matter.

In an interview with The Star yesterday, the Selangor Sultan had said that his father was then opposed to having cinemas in Shah Alam or near places of worship.

However, Sultan Sharafuddin said he was not opposed to them in some areas of Shah Alam as they had developed rapidly but was still against their being near places of worship.

He added that ultimately, he only provided input and the final decision was up to MBSA.