KLANG, May 18 — Admitting that plans to turn Bukit Beruntung into an automotive hub have failed, Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali has offered to work with the federal government to revive the “ghost town”.

The state government has finally broken its silence by saying it is trying to jump-start the economy in the surrounding areas and also near the golf club there.

“This is the plan the state has for now and if the federal government has plans, we are more than happy to look at them,” he said after launching SegiFresh’s online sales portal SegiFresh2u.com in Teluk Panglima Garang yesterday.

“I hope the federal government is serious about its willingness to help, but it has not shown any commitment.”

Azmin also said the state had its priorities in reviving troubled projects, but declined to elaborate.

Yesterday, Malay Mail reported the Housing and Local Government Ministry said it was willing to render its expertise to revive Bukit Beruntung, but wanted the state government to lead the initiative.

National Housing Department deputy director-general Kang Ban Aik said the ministry would consider applications from joint building management bodies from low or medium-cost houses there to repaint buildings, manage water tanks, and repair lifts.

The residents had pleaded with the state government to revive the local economy to attract tenants to the township.

They said that since the Tesco distribution centre opened there in 2008, and a hypermarket started operating three years later, they had seen an increase of tenants.

Azmin also said he would be taking a delegation to Korea and Japan this week to lure more investments into the state.

“We will also talk to them about Bukit Beruntung,” he said.

He declined to elaborate, saying the state would first need to look into the infrastructure and housing in the area.