KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is strengthening cooperation with South Korea to support talent development, research and innovation in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), says Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi (pic).
He said South Korea’s global leadership in ITS, smart cities and digital technologies provides Malaysia with a strong strategic partner as it implements the Malaysia ITS Roadmap 2030.
Speaking at the Malaysia-Korea ITS Roadshow 2025 here on Tuesday (Dec 9), he said Malaysia and South Korea had built decades of close cooperation, noting that Korean engineering expertise had contributed to several major national infrastructure projects since the 1990s.
"From the Penang Second Bridge to the PETRONAS Twin Towers, South Korea’s engineering excellence stands proudly within Malaysia’s landscape.
"These structures remind us that when Malaysia and Korea unite, we build more than infrastructure. We build legacy," he said in his keynote address.
Nanta said the roadshow provides a strategic platform for the exchange of knowledge, the sharing of innovation and the exploration of new opportunities in ITS, together with policymakers, industry experts, researchers and practitioners.
He also said that the event marked a historic development with the exchange ceremony of the inaugural memorandum of understanding between his ministry and South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
He said the agreement reflects the shared aspiration for stronger cooperation in the areas of ITS and smart tolling, sustainable construction technologies, as well as infrastructure maintenance and asset management.
Meanwhile, Nanta said Malaysia was now advancing the Malaysia ITS Roadmap 2030, which is a guiding document that will shape the next decade of digital mobility.
"It is more than a policy document. It is our national pledge to deliver real impact, fewer accidents, smoother travel, reduced emissions and a mobility experience worthy of a modern, forward-looking nation.
"At the heart of every ITS initiative is a human story. It is about the mother driving home safely, the worker reaching the office on time, the emergency responder arriving faster, and the child crossing the road without fear. That is why we pursue ITS, not for systems but for lives," he said.
Nanta said Malaysia’s mobility vision emphasises harmony, with safer journeys supported by predictive technology, smarter movement through digital connectivity, greener travel choices and people-first design forming the foundation of the future the country aims to build. – Bernama
