Works Ministry eyes smarter roads, less foreign labour under 13MP

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The Works Ministry will prioritise key infrastructure goals under the upcoming 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), with a focus on strengthening the construction industry, accelerating digitalisation, and enhancing the quality of national roads and public assets.
Its minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi said one of the ministry's core proposals was to secure funding to expand the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) — a digital system that enhances construction efficiency, reduces material wastage, and ultimately decreases the sector's dependency on foreign labour.
"In the construction sector, BIM can help us work more efficiently and minimise wastage. More importantly, it can reduce our reliance on foreign workers.
"Our industry remains heavily dependent on foreign labour, so any steps to reduce that reliance will have a major impact," he said during an interview on Berita Harian's podcast at Balai Berita today.
Nanta said that the ministry also aimed at intensifying digitalisation efforts across infrastructure development and maintenance to ensure more streamlined, effective project execution.
"In addition to BIM, we want to strengthen digitalisation across the board. We're proposing to secure funding that will allow us to expand the use of digital tools and technologies.
"All of this supports our broader goal of delivering infrastructure projects more efficiently and improving the maintenance of national roads and assets," he said.
He added that as the ministry responsible for road infrastructure, they were seeking allocations to construct and maintain roads using more robust and durable materials, while also upgrading ageing infrastructure to meet international standards.
"Our ministry often requires significant funding to improve road quality — whether that's through constructing new roads with stronger materials or maintaining and upgrading existing ones.
"There are now many improved materials available that allow us to build longer-lasting roads. That's something we're placing strong emphasis on," he said.
Beyond physical infrastructure, Nanta stressed the importance of investing in human capital — particularly the upskilling of professionals in the construction and engineering fields, through exposure to international best practices.
"We want to offer opportunities for our engineers and professionals to enhance their skills — both locally and overseas — so they can expand their knowledge, boost competencies, and adopt a global perspective.
"We have many engineers and technical experts in this country, and we must support their professional development through relevant programmes. Overseas training, in particular, can help them learn from global benchmarks and bring valuable insights back to Malaysia."
He said such efforts were critical to ensuring the country continues to meet and exceed international infrastructure standards.
"Our roads, assets and buildings are already aligned with international standards, and we want to continue raising the bar through ongoing innovation and continuous learning."
However, Nanta acknowledged that the ministry's proposals would be subject to broader national priorities, expressing hope that they would not be overlooked in the upcoming 13MP.
"We hope our proposals will not be excluded; that is our hope. But we're also realistic and aware of the current economic conditions and the government's responsibility to balance the needs of all ministries and the rakyat as a whole," he said.