{
  "id": 10641553,
  "title": "Malaysia perlu 25,000 tenaga kerja sektor rel menjelang 2030",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/malaysia-perlu-25-000-tenaga-kerja-sektor-rel-menjelang-2030",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-29T07:47:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/09/29/malaysia-perlu-25-000-tenaga-kerja-sektor-rel-menjelang-2030"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia requires 25,000 skilled workers in railway technology and operations by 2030, stated Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Human Resources. The Ministry of Human Resources (Kesuma) through the Human Resources Training (JTM) department is developing courses aligned with Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to ensure this target is achieved. \"Based on industry perspectives and advice, every design will be adapted to industry needs, ensuring trainers can be placed in areas aligned with industry demand,\" he said during a media briefing after inaugurating the Segi Tiga Pertumbuhan IMT-GT 2026 Forum in Kuantan. This forum focused on Empowering TVET for Next Generation Rail Systems and Future Rail Technologies, serving as a strategic platform to connect policymakers, TVET institutions, railway industry, researchers, and international partners to strengthen skill development to support railway industry transformation in the region.\n\nDarwis Abdul Razak, CEO of Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd, revealed that 3,000 job opportunities are specifically opened for the operation of the Eastern Coast Rail Line (ECRL), including operation, infrastructure management, and rolling stock management. The urgent need for skilled workers extends beyond ECRL to other sectors within the railway industry, including Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). At the forum, Darwis highlighted that the ECRL project is progressing with 95.41% of construction completed as of last August, with Phase One from Kota Bharu to Gombak reaching 97.65% and expected to be completed by mid-December, pending testing, promotion, and safety measures. The initial plan was to complete ECRL by January 2027, but the government requested the trains to open to the public by December during school holidays. Darwis reported that testing and promotion results are positive, hoping the entire Phase One, from Kota Bharu to Gombak, will be open to the public by December 2026. On September 25, he drove from Gombak to Kota Bharu to celebrate MRL's 10th anniversary, marking the first time the main 520km line was traversed by a train. This journey took approximately three hours and 19 minutes at speeds up to 160km/h, demonstrating that the Kota Bharu-Gombak route can be covered in less than four hours.",
  "summary": "Kesuma melalui JTM sedang rangka kursus bersesuaian dengan TVET, pastikan angka itu dapat direalisasikan, kata timbalan menteri.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Malaysia perlu 25,000 tenaga kerja sektor rel menjelang 2030",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/malaysia-perlu-25-000-tenaga-kerja-sektor-rel-menjelang-2030-10642991",
        "published": "2026-09-29T07:47:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}