If you’re staying in urban Selangor, that convenient mechanic located just a few hundred meters away from your house may eventually be history. That’s because the state government is looking to move automotive workshops away from residential areas and relocate them in designated light industrial zones, as The Star reports. The relocation plan is aimed at easing congestion, curbing pollution and stopping operators from occupying valuable public parking bays, said state local government and tourism committee chairman Datuk Ng Suee Lim. He said that a number of residents had complained about noise from revving engines and compressors, as well as vehicles spilling into back lanes and public parking spaces. He said that this would be a gradual move, with reminders to existing workshops to relocate. He added that the transition was ongoing and guided by environmental regulations, as such activities were not suitable near homes. Current operators had been briefed on the plans, with many complying. However, some remain reluctant. “Local councils will give workshop operators ample time to shift with an agreed deadline. However, if the operators are adamant and choose not to move then the council will have to impose the law,” he said, without providing details on the laws involved. Ng said that most of the local authorities in Selangor had agreed to set aside specific areas for such businesses. “One solution is to centralise workshops in light industrial zones, where layouts can be properly planned for tools, work areas and storage,” he told the publication. “New applications will only be approved if the businesses are located in light industrial areas,” he added. In the case of Subang Jaya, city council (MBSJ) deputy mayor Mohd Zulkurnain Che Ali said the Subang Jaya Draft Local Plan 2035 (Amendment 1) stipulated that vehicle workshops could only be approved in industrial areas, and that MBSJ would not issue any new licences for such activities in mixed developments. “Seven temporary permits have been issued in Taman Puncak Jalil and Taman Lestari Perdana in Seri Kembangan, to regularise existing operations. The MBSJ eorcement department has also issued 379 notices for workshops to relocate in the Subang Jaya area,” he said. For Shah Alam, its then mayor Datuk Mohd Fauzi Mohd Yatim said vehicle workshops, car wash operators, tyre shops and accessory outlets must comply with the Shah Alam city council’s (MBSA) Vehicle Service Activity Guideline. He said that MBSA held a town hall session in November last year to brief operators on the guideline. “As of July 2025, 545 workshop applications were received by MBSA. Of these, 177 were approved, 142 were granted temporary conditional licences, 11 were deferred and 215 rejected,” he said. Compare prices between different insurer providers to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. Many payment method supported and you can pay with instalment using Atome, Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.
