Selangor to stay out of legal challenge filed by Olympian against MBPJ’s dog ban in apartments, says state exco

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — Selangor will not intervene in the lawsuit challenging the ban on keeping dogs in high‑rise residential units, Datuk Ng Suee Lim said today.

The State Local Government and Tourism executive councillor made the remarks following reports on the suit filed by former national hurdler and Olympian Noraseela Khalid against the Selangor government and the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), according to a report by The Star.

“If they want to bring it to court, we will let the court handle it,” he said, adding, “We will respect the court’s decision.”

Ng said the state government will allow the legal process to proceed without interference.

Noraseela filed the suit at the Shah Alam High Court on January 19, arguing that MBPJ’s Licensing of Dogs and Kennel Establishments By‑Law 2007 conflicts with federal laws including the Local Government Act 1976 and the Strata Management Act.

The by‑law prohibits residents from keeping dogs in any unit above the ground floor of a high‑rise building.

Noraseela, who lives in a condominium in Petaling Jaya, is seeking to overturn the restriction and maintains that the council has no legal authority to impose a blanket ban.

She previously told Free Malaysia Today that the rule unfairly restricts pet owners and that there is no evidence showing dogs or other pets have caused disturbances in high‑rise housing.