China’s electric locomotive maker CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co on November 11 said Malaysia will be able to manufacture its own locomotives by 2020.
To facilitate this, CSR Zhuzhou's unit, CSR Kuala Lumpur Maintenance Sdn Bhd (CKM), will transfer its technology to Malaysia.
CSR Zhuzhou's plan is to help Malaysia rely less on foreign expertise in the country's train maintenance services over the period, CKM Director Luke Wang said.
Malaysia will not only have a sizeable workforce for the maintenance of trains, but can also one day manufacture its own rolling stock, he said.
The CKM currently carries out the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) works for Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB)'s trains. The company won a two-year MRO contract worth 133 million RM (41 million USD).
Three years ago, CSR Zhuzhou inked a 1.9 billion RM (593 million USD) deal with the KTMB to supply 38 sets of custom-built trains.-VNA
