Japan sends experts to help KTMB
This followed a request by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, says a senior Japanese transport official.
KUALA LUMPUR: Japanese rail experts are helping Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) to help develop its network in Malaysia, following a request by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Koji Shikama, a senior officer in Japan’s Ministry of Infrastructure, Land, Transport and Tourism, said two teams of experts and railway officials have been sent to Malaysia to provide the necessary support to KTMB after examining the local railway infrastructure and studying KTMB’s requirements.
“For each of the sectors that we have extended support, we have shared the experience of Japan in those areas as well as proposals which would result in greater usage of public transport in Malaysia,” he said.
The areas include train operation, carriage and track maintenance as well as human resource development, signals communication and electrical power.
“And because we felt that it was important for these people to also see first-hand the situation in Japan, we invited officials from Malaysia’s transport ministry and KTMB and conducted training programmes.”
He said Malaysian officials recently visited various railway facilities to deepen their understanding of the Japanese rail sector.
Shikama said KTMB has established a staff training facility to develop talent.
“We believe that by making use of the experience Japan has garnered over the years, we would see increased usage of public transport here in Malaysia and the alleviation of congestion on the streets, so much so that stations in Malaysia would be filled with its citizens as well as with tourists from abroad,” he said.
He said in Tokyo and its surrounding prefectures with a combined population of 36 million, some 60% use public transport compared with 20% in cities like London and New York.
“Due to the existence of a very dense railway network and trains being operated on time, people are able to reach their destinations on time.
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“For this reason, many Japanese opt to use the railways as a form of transport and this has been made possible because of the optimal maintenance and management of the Japanese railway infrastructure and due to the high skill level of the people working at the railway companies.”