SHAH ALAM, Dec 13 (Bernama) -- Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today welcomed the advice of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, to state leaders to not only talk but implement programmes for the benefit of the people.

He said the call by the sultan, at an investiture ceremony held in conjunction with his 64th birthday at Istana Alam Shah, Klang, yesterday was also in tandem with his speech made at the ceremony with regard to uplifting the socio-economic status of the people in the state.

"The sultan's speech in urging the menteri besar and his fellow state executive councillors to carry out their duties with dedication and trust and cooperate with civil servants was advice from the sultan and had nothing to do with differences of opinion among state leaders," Khalid told reporters after attending the Vintage Cars Autoshow held near here in conjunction with the sultan's birthday.

The one-day event was jointly organised by the Royal Malaysia Vintage and Classic Car Club (RMVCC) and I-City, a purpose-built MSC Malaysia Cybercentre near here.

On another matter, Khalid said the Selangor government would hold a public forum in Petaling Jaya on Dec 17 to discuss its decision to ban all state civil servants, students in state-owned universities and employees of state subsidiaries from attending courses conducted by the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) or National Civics Bureau.

He said all young Pakatan assemblymen in the state who had attended the BTN course would also be invited to come together to discuss ways to improve the civics course.

Recently, Chairman of the Selangor Education, Higher Education and Human Capital Development Committee Dr Halimah Ali said staff and students of state-owned institutions were barred from attending the BTN courses with immediate effect.

She said it was perceived that the course was an indoctrination process by the Barisan Nasional (BN), created to allegedly draw up racist phenomena, divide the races, cause religious tension and provoke hatred for the opposition.

Khalid also said that about RM8 million had been allocated to promote Selangor as a preferred tourism spot next year and that he had signed contracts with several television stations for the purpose.