KUALA KUBU BARU: The federal government's investment in the railway industry is intended not only to establish a comprehensive railway network nationwide but also to provide employment opportunities for youth, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said.
The latest developments and railway projects in Malaysia, Loke said, would require a significant pool of expertise, particularly in engineering.
"Investments in the railway industry such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) and the expansion of the Klang Valley Double-Tracking Project (KVDT) underline the government's commitment to (develop) this sector.
"These initiatives are geared towards establishing a comprehensive railway network nationwide, with feasibility studies also underway for similar developments in Sabah and Sarawak.
"Expanding these services will, of course, necessitate a significant pool of expertise, particularly in engineering.
"This presents a promising job opportunity for young engineers, with local companies and SMEs poised to benefit from contracts related to maintenance, construction of wagons, locomotives, and more," he said after attending Jamuan Hari Raya programme at SMH Rai here.
Loke also revealed that the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC), which is responsible for managing the country's railway assets, has proposed the Rolling Stock Strategy (RSS) initiative.
Through this approach, idle locomotives and wagons will be refurbished and reused with the involvement of private companies.
"This collaboration aims to meet users' preferences for rail as the primary mode of transportation.
"Additionally, it was revealed that RAC has adopted a similar approach for passenger trains, namely the Electric Train Service (ETS) and six car set (SCS) trains, advertised via request for proposal (RFP).
"The objective is to refurbish these trains to increase the frequency of services, catering to the growing demand among users.
"Six ETS trains and ten SCS trains are involved in this RFP."