In the driver’s seat: Ahmad Zahid (seated) checking out the control panel of a commuter train after the handback ceremony in Seremban, Negri Sembilan. — Bernama
SEREMBAN: There are some 25,000 jobs waiting for those keen to pursue careers in the rail industry including the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) sector, says Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
The starting salaries for jobs in this high demand sector averaged about RM3,000 and it also offers a bright career path, added the Deputy Prime Minister.
Although students can now be trained locally, some are still sent abroad to Australia for exposure and experience, he added.
The country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector is no longer focused on conventional and traditional programmes but is now more high-skill focused.
Citing examples, the government, he said, has made strategic investments in the MRT, LRT, RTS Link and ECRL services as it was committed to turn rail transportation into the national main mode of travel.
“The target is to have 40% rail travel by 2030. I am confident this will be achieved,” he said, adding that the demand for workers in the rail MRO would further increase if the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail project gets the go-ahead.
In July, Transport Minister Anthony Loke had said the government would make a final decision by the end of this year on whether to proceed with the HSR project after weighing proposals from a narrowing list of private consortiums.
The HSR project aims to slash travel time between Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore from around four hours by road to just 90 minutes by rail.
Earlier, Ahmad Zahid witnessed the handback ceremony of the third SCS 92 Class train sets restored under the MRO project undertaken by M Rail Technics Sdn Bhd (Railtec).
Railtech was set up in 2021 as a joint venture company between Destini Bhd and Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd to provide comprehensive MRO services in the rail industry.
It is the first company in Malaysia to undertake Level 4 MRO services.
This advanced certification enables Destini to perform extensive overhauls and major repairs of rolling stock and infrastructure at specialised facilities.
He had also witnessed the signing of a collaboration between Railtech and UniKL to train students in the field.
Ahmad Zahid said the country does not only need good rail infrastructure as equally important was continuous maintenance.
He said after having succeeded in creating a strong rail ecosystem and strengthening the MRO industry, the next important step was investment in human capital development.
“This initiative will produce highly skilled workforce or TVET experts who are not only able to meet the technical needs of the rail industry, but also play a role as the main driver in achieving the excellence of this sector,” he added.
