Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – Additional funding should be allocated to the Ministry of Transpo🧸rt of Malaysia to address the shortage of skilled workers in the automotive sector, eꦓspecially electric vehicles (EVs), an expert has said.

Although there are many training programmes in the EV sector, Malaysia needs to continue to enhance the skill levels of its workforce to meet the rapidly changing technology, according to Dr Mohd Azman Abas, Director of the Automotive Development Centre (ADC) at the University of Technology Malaysia (UTM). He said that additional funding is crucial for improving training programmes. He also emphasised the need to step up infrastructure development, purchase necessary equipment and facilities to provide trainers with practical experience in the field, thereby building a comprehensive workforce that can support the expanding EV ecosystem. Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) vice-chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah said that the 2025 Budget should prioritise the allocation of funds towards integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the country’s transportation system. He explained that AI could optimise the frequency of public transport schedules and has the potential to better manage traffic flow, preventing cars and motorcyclists from congesting bottleneck routes - an area that has yet to be fully maximised. Ahmad suggested that instead of focusing only on developing EVs, the government should accelerate the implementation of low-carbon mobility blueprint (LCMB) for the 2021-2030 period as a comprehensive approach, thus reducing the overall carbon footprint of the transport sector./.