RAC, MARIC INK MOU TO STRENGTHEN MALAYSIA'S RAIL INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

SEPANG, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- A newly forged collaboration between Railway Assets Corporation (RAC) and Malaysia Rail Industry Corporation (MARIC) is expected to serve as a catalyst for greater local participation in the rail value chain, reinforcing Malaysia’s vision to become a regional hub for rail technology and services.

RAC, in a statement, said a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MARIC was signed today to strengthen the local rail industry ecosystem through strategic collaboration in research, rail system development and human capital enhancement.

"This collaboration marks a significant step towards empowering local rail industry players in line with the national aspiration to develop a competitive, sustainable and technology-driven rail sector," the statement said.

Under the MoU, both organisations will focus on the rail system and human capital development, research and development (R&D) and future strategic collaboration to boost local capabilities and promote technology-driven growth in the rail sector.

In the area of rail system and human capital development, it said both parties will explore opportunities to jointly develop rail systems and enhance local expertise through technical, operational and asset management training programmes.

For R&D, RAC and MARIC will collaborate on the innovation of new rail technologies to strengthen the competitiveness of local industry players and reduce reliance on foreign expertise.

The MoU also provides a framework for future strategic collaboration, paving the way for potential service agreements and specific project partnerships to be implemented, subject to mutual agreement between the two parties.

RAC said the partnership is expected to deliver positive outcomes for Malaysia’s rail industry by strengthening the capacity and competency of local industry players, supporting the government’s objective to establish a sustainable and integrated national rail supply chain, as well as creating employment opportunities and facilitating technology transfer to local talent.

The statement said that through the MoU, RAC and MARIC will deepen cooperation across multiple areas, including human capital development, technical knowledge sharing and participation in new rail system projects.

The signing of the MoU was held in conjunction with the Transport Asia Expo (TXA) 2025 hosted by the Transport Ministry from Nov 11 to 13, marking an important milestone in Malaysia’s efforts to champion innovation, connectivity and sustainability within the regional transport and logistics landscape.

The signing was witnessed by Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah, while RAC was represented by chief executive officer Datuk Azhar Ahmad and MARIC was represented by its president, Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman.

-- BERNAMA