Malaysia, South Korea Deepen Collaboration In Intelligent Transport Systems

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- 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 said South Korea’s global leadership in ITS, smart cities and digital technologies provides Malaysia with a strong strategic partner as it implements the Malaysia ITS Roadmap 2030.

Nanta said Malaysia and South Korea have built decades of close cooperation, noting that Korean engineering expertise has contributed to several major national infrastructure projects since the 90s. 

“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,” he said in his keynote address at the Malaysia-Korea ITS Roadshow 2025 here today,

Nanta said the roadshow provides a strategic platform for the exchange of knowledge, the sharing of innovation and the exploration of new opportunities in ITS, together with policymakers, industry experts, researchers and practitioners.

He further said that the event marks a historic development with the exchange ceremony of the inaugural memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Works and South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT).

He said the agreement reflects the shared aspiration for stronger cooperation in the areas of ITS and smart tolling, sustainable construction technologies, as well as infrastructure maintenance and asset management.

Meanwhile, Nanta said Malaysia is now advancing the ITS Roadmap 2030, a guiding document that shapes 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.

“At the heart of every ITS initiative is a human story. It is about the mother driving home safely, the worker reaching the office on time, the emergency responder arriving faster, and the child crossing the road without fear. That is why we pursue ITS, not for systems but for lives,” he said.

He added that Malaysia’s mobility vision emphasises harmony, with safer journeys supported by predictive technology, smarter movement through digital connectivity, greener travel choices and people-first design forming the foundation of the future the country aims to build.

-- BERNAMA