SEPANG – The Malaysian Resources Corporation Berhad (MRCB) is on a mission to empower local railway industry players through the Industrial Collaboration Programme (ICP), paving the way for them to enter global markets.
Sharing the strategy for making ICP a game-changer, Setia Utama LRT3 Sdn Bhd project director Patrick Hwang Chee Leong said the corporation is using a cutting-edge economic impact analysis mechanism to ensure investments pay off in the long run, promising enduring benefits that far outweigh short-term costs.
Hwang explained that as one of the country’s leading ICP providers, their programme encompasses mechanical, civil, and electrical training courses to empower businesses and individuals.
For the uninitiated, ICP refers to a programme that involves activities that provide value-added elements to any procurement made, especially when using government funds.
Hwang said MRCB meticulously evaluated potential companies, considering grant costs, job creation, technological advancements, and environmental impact.
“To ensure this, we consider a range of factors when assessing a potential company, which includes the costs of grants to be awarded, potential job creation and technological advancement as well as environmental impact.
“As of this year, we have awarded over 64 grants to eligible companies under the ICP programme and we have collaborated with several local players and universities such as Mahsa University.
“With Mahsa, for example, our collaboration mainly was to introduce environmentally friendly mosquito control kits to combat the spread of aedes mosquito in an attempt to minimise the spread of dengue.
“It may seem like a simple collaboration project but to us, it is a sustainable product in development and used at our railway construction sites, which could subsequently be marketed to a bigger audience,” he said at a forum during the International Railway Symposium, which carried the theme ‘Sustainable Railway: Connecting Nations, Preserving Futures’, yesterday.
He was joined by four other panellists and moderators, including National Defence University of Malaysia (NDUM) adjunct professor Datuk Dr Zailani Safari and Mohd Asroll Mansor, who was representing MMC Engineering.
Throughout the forum’s question and answer session, Hwang did not hold back in opening up about his journey in understanding ICP and strengthening its implementation to benefit local railway players.
“To be honest, we struggled in understanding what and how ICP functions. But with the help of Technology Depository Agency Berhad (TDA), and via many engagements done with industry players, we gained better insights into the programme and how it works.
“It’s undeniable that the programme runs longer than the railway projects itself. But either way, we strive to deliver each time.
“In fact, we have implemented ICP in several railways in the Klang Valley such as in Kelana Jaya line, or MRT trains, which we can see the progress from ICP in terms of benefiting our clients in minimising, perhaps, maintenance fees and such.”
The forum, titled ‘ICP as a Tool to Support Sustainable Railway Development’, touched on the projected success rate of ICP in bolstering local railway industry players, as well as other aspects of the programme.
Meanwhile, the two-day symposium that began yesterday saw the participation of 400 individuals as well as exhibitions by 20 local and international railway industry players.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke, in his keynote speech, said that the ministry is committed to nurturing the capabilities and expertise of local rail industry players through a comprehensive localisation programme. – November 8, 2023