KUALA LUMPUR: Transport Minister Anthony Loke wants Transport Expo Asia (TXA) to become a permanent biennial event, with the next edition scheduled for 2028 to showcase transport technologies and innovation.
He said the exhibition would bring together industry players, promote international best practices and support the development of Malaysia’s transport industry.
“I hope that TXA will be organised once every two years,” he said when opening the expo at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) today.
Also present were Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah and Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Jana Santhiran Muniayan.
Held from Oct 20 to 22, TXA 2026 serves as a key meeting point for the land transport, aviation, maritime and logistics sectors.
Loke said the idea for a dedicated transport exhibition emerged from the ministry’s involvement in co-organising the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA).
He said LIMA’s growing popularity and increasingly limited exhibition space had prompted the ministry to consider holding its own event, while allowing LIMA to focus more on the defence industry.
“I brought a proposal to the Cabinet two years ago for the ministry to branch out from LIMA, leading to an inaugural TXA event on a smaller scale last year,” he said.
This year’s exhibition features 410 exhibitors and technology innovators, providing a platform to connect public policy with industry innovation and translate collaboration into improved transport services, stronger trade links and new economic opportunities.
Loke said the technologies on display across the 15,000-square-metre exhibition hall, together with autonomous vehicle demonstrations and strategic agreements, were expected to deliver tangible improvements in efficiency, emissions reduction, safety and reliability.
Speaking to reporters after the opening ceremony, Loke said government spending on transport infrastructure and maintenance should create more opportunities for Malaysian companies across the supply chain.
He said original equipment manufacturers and suppliers could use TXA to connect with local businesses, helping to ensure that government expenditure supported domestic manufacturing and component supply.
“Rail, aviation and road transport require extensive supply chains, creating opportunities for Malaysian companies to supply components and support maintenance activities,” he said.
On the expo’s economic impact, Loke said no target had been set for its first large-scale edition. However, several memoranda of understanding and agreements were expected to be signed during the three-day event.
He encouraged logistics companies and transport-related small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore the technologies on display and pursue potential business opportunities.