Anwar calls for home-grown technology to cut Malaysia’s import reliance
He said smaller construction contractors must be able to access the skills and opportunities needed as the industry adopts new technologies.
Malaysia should build its ability to produce technology domestically rather than depend solely on imported systems, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. He argued that stronger local capabilities would help Malaysian businesses and boost the country’s competitiveness.
Addressing the opening of International Construction Week and the International Building and Construction Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Anwar urged partners to turn discussions into practical work, including testing technologies, exchanging expertise and expanding their use.
He welcomed exploration of three-dimensional concrete printing and encouraged Malaysia to draw on technological advances from both East and West. Such technologies should be adapted to Malaysian needs, he said, noting that Kuala Lumpur’s climate, environment and priorities differ from those of London and New York.
Anwar called for sustained investment in skills, knowledge and industrial capacity so the country could adapt and manufacture technologies, then eventually export its own. He said smaller contractors needed access to training, technical resources and commercial opportunities, while closer ties between educational institutions, industry and government should help prepare workers.
He also cautioned that construction must serve communities without sacrificing environmental quality. The government’s 13th Malaysia Plan includes a goal of delivering 500,000 affordable homes by 2030, within its wider ambition to build one million homes between 2026 and 2035. Anwar said technology should improve housing delivery efficiency without undermining liveability, safety or quality.
