KUANTAN, April 11 (Bernama) -- The Pahang Rail Academy (ARP) is poised to become a leading institution for formal education in the railway sector in Malaysia, strengthening the industry and reducing dependence on foreign expertise, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.
He said Malaysia, with its railway history dating back to the 1880s, should not continue relying on foreign talent for its rail industry.
“An academy like this should have been established much earlier. While KTM (Keretapi Tanah Melayu) has conducted internal training courses for officers and new recruits, the establishment of a formal academy serves as a crucial catalyst for structured education in this field,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after launching the ARP at Yayasan Pahang today, which was also attended by Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also Rural and Regional Development Minister, expressed hope that graduates of the academy would not only serve local needs but also be qualified for opportunities abroad.
In his speech, Ahmad Zahid also stressed the importance of hands-on, practical training over theoretical learning to ensure the production of highly skilled workers in the rail industry.
Meanwhile, Wan Rosdy said the establishment of ARP is a strategic initiative in line with the national agenda to position Malaysia as a regional logistics and transportation hub.
He said that with the development of major rail projects such as the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), there is an urgent need for a highly skilled workforce.
In this regard, ARP is expected to shape the future of the rail industry through training programmes tailored to industry demands, covering practical skills, theoretical knowledge, character development and leadership, Wan Rosdy added.
As an initial step, ARP will send 10 students to the Liuzhou Railway Vocational Technical College (LRVTC) in China in early May 2025 for a one-year training programme.
Upon completion, the trainees will be absorbed into the ECRL project, in line with ARP’s vision of producing skilled local talent to support and advance Malaysia’s railway industry.
-- BERNAMA
BERNAMA provides up-to-date authentic and comprehensive news and information which are disseminated via BERNAMA Wires; www.bernama.com; BERNAMA TV on Astro 502, unifi TV 631 and MYTV 121 channels and BERNAMA Radio on FM93.9 (Klang Valley), FM107.5 (Johor Bahru), FM107.9 (Kota Kinabalu) and FM100.9 (Kuching) frequencies.
Follow us on social media :
Facebook : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatv, @bernamaradio
Twitter : @bernama.com, @BernamaTV, @bernamaradio
Instagram : @bernamaofficial, @bernamatvofficial, @bernamaradioofficial
TikTok : @bernamaofficial
