KUTS Project Director, Zafrin Zakariah (seventh left) as well as other representatives from Sarawak Metro and contractors sending off the industrial attachment participants at Kuching International Airport.
KUCHING (April 19): Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd (Sarawak Metro) has sent a team of five apprentices and staff members to Yibin, China, to gain first-hand exposure to the production of Autonomous Rapid Transit (ART) hydrogen vehicles (H2V).
Sarawak Metro chief executive officer Mazli Mustaffa said the initiative, an industrial attachment at Sichuan CRRC SDIG Rail Transit Co Ltd’s plant, is part of Sarawak Metro’s Socio-Economic Enhancement Development (SEED) Programme.
“This month-long attachment with one of our original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), from April 18 to May 15, will involve direct participation in the H2V production and assembly processes.
“This latest industrial attachment for our staff and Young Talent Programme (YTP) apprentices also comes at a very significant moment, as our first two H2Vs are set to be delivered to Kuching, while work on the next batch of ART H2Vs is in progress,” he said in a statement.
Mazli said Sarawak Metro has consistently emphasised the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
“This initiative under our SEED Programme is an ideal platform to develop a pool of skilled local manpower, which will be vital for our Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS),” he said.
He also expressed appreciation to EPR Mobilus GR JV Sdn Bhd (EMGJV), the System Package Contractor 1 for the KUTS project, for its commitment in supporting the success of industrial attachments under the SEED Programme.
The attachment is designed to provide participants with exposure to the hydrogen-based ART system, covering processes from design to production.
Participants will gain hands-on experience in H2V assembly, component integration, testing, and quality control, while being exposed to industry-standard practices, tools and technologies.
It is also expected to strengthen their technical competencies and deepen their understanding of engineering workflows, including documentation and quality assurance processes.