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by DayakDaily Team KUCHING, Oct 30: The government is taking active measures to overcome the shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry by strengthening and coordinating Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes across government agencies, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi. According to Bernama, he explained that the initiative is led by Deputy Prime Minister and National TVET Council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who oversees the alignment of TVET efforts across various government agencies. “This coordination does not mean that all government agencies are unified, but rather to ensure that TVET training in each agency such as the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), MARA and other ministries runs in a more structured and integrated manner,” he was quoted as saying by Bernama after opening the International Construction Week (ICW) and the Malaysia International Building and Construction Industry Exhibition (BuildXpo) 2025 on Wednesday. For the Ministry of Works, Nanta said TVET programmes are being implemented in agencies such as CIDB and MARA to increase skilled manpower, especially in the engineering field in the future. Earlier in his speech, Nanta said despite challenges such as rising costs and labour shortages, Malaysia’s construction industry remains strong and continues to drive domestic growth. Citing data from Bank Negara Malaysia and the Department of Statistics, he said the sector grew by 14.2 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, with RM42.9 billion worth of work completed. The momentum continued in the second quarter, with the value rising to RM43.9 billion, up 12.9 per cent year-on-year. Altogether, construction activity in the first half of 2025 totalled RM86.8 billion, a 14.7 per cent increase from the same period last year. “This growth was driven mainly by the private sector, which accounted for over 63 per cent of total work signaling strong investor confidence in Malaysia’s construction and infrastructure outlook,” he added. The ICW 2025, themed ‘Constructing the Future of ASEAN’, is a major platform for the country’s construction industry, bringing together local and regional industry players to exchange views, introduce new technologies and strengthen strategic collaboration in driving a more sustainable and competitive construction future. This annual event organised by the Construction Industry Development Board of Malaysia (CIDB) is also accompanied by the BuildXpo Malaysia 2025 exhibition which showcases various products, services and the latest innovations in the construction sector. – DayakDaily
