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KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 17-- Yi Dai Yi Lu, or Belt and Road Initiative, is one of the few Chinese phrases 24-year-old Mohd Syamin Bin Zainol is able to speak in Chinese after taking part in a railway workshop. However, he is enthusiastic about the prospects of the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), the first artery railway built in the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia. "I hope to become an engineer for ECRL since the railway project will considerably improve the transportation infrastructure in my hometown," said Syamin, a native of the Malaysian state of Pahang, in which the ECRL will traverse. The workshop, organized by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), Malaysia Rail Link and Pahang University, aims to help Malaysia cultivate railway talent, as the country is in an infrastructure expansion boom. The CCCC, a leading transportation infrastructure group that also builts a landmark bridge in the northwestern state of Penang, will lead the construction of ECRL. Fang Zhenru, CCCC's ECRL project director, said as the Malaysian government puts more efforts in enhancing railway transportation, a large number of professional talents will be needed. "Cultivating local talents will help achieve win-win results, and boost employment," said Fang. According to the plan of CCCC, by 2022, more than 3,600 professionals related to the railway industry are expected to graduate from the workshops. The joint railway talent cultivation workshop is only part of the expanding railway cooperation between Malaysia and China, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative. | 
