Kuala lumpur: Malaysia is strengthening cooperation with South Korea to support talent development, research, and innovation in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi highlighted South Korea's global leadership in ITS, smart cities, and digital technologies, positioning it as a strategic partner for Malaysia's implementation of the Malaysia ITS Roadmap 2030.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nanta emphasized the longstanding cooperation between Malaysia and South Korea, noting that Korean engineering expertise has been integral to major national infrastructure projects since the 1990s. He cited iconic structures like the Penang Second Bridge and the Petronas Twin Towers as testaments to the enduring partnership between the two nations. In his keynote address at the Malaysia-Korea ITS Roadshow 2025, Nanta remarked, "From the Penang Second Bridge to the Petronas Twin Towers, 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."
The roadshow is seen as a strategic platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing innovation, and exploring new opportunities in ITS, involving policymakers, industry experts, researchers, and practitioners. A notable development of the event was the exchange ceremony of the inaugural memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Malaysia's Ministry of Works and South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT). This agreement underscores the aspiration for stronger cooperation in ITS, smart tolling, sustainable construction technologies, and infrastructure maintenance and asset management.
Nanta further elaborated on Malaysia's advancement of the ITS Roadmap 2030, describing it as a guiding document shaping 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," he stated. He stressed that the core of every ITS initiative is about improving lives, enabling safer travel for individuals and families.
Nanta concluded by highlighting Malaysia's mobility vision, which emphasizes safer journeys supported by predictive technology, smarter movement through digital connectivity, greener travel choices, and people-first design. This vision forms the foundation of the future Malaysia aims to build, focusing on harmony and enhancing the mobility experience for all.