Building an integrated regional transport network

KUALA LUMPUR: The future of transport will not be shaped by infrastructure alone, but by how effectively countries connect infrastructure, technology, investment, and people worldwide.
In this context, the Eurasian-Asean Rail Corridor, a plan to develop transport links that cover road, rail, and inland waterways, presents an important opportunity to strengthen trade links between the two dynamic economic regions.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah said the Middle Corridor, which links Turkey and China, offers an opportunity to deepen cooperation between Europe, Asia and Southeast Asia through integrated rail and multimodal logistics networks.
“By connecting the Middle Corridor with Asean routes running from China through Laos and Thailand to Malaysia, countries could strengthen trade links and improve the movement of goods across the region.
“However, turning this ambition into reality will require more efficient border crossings, harmonised procedures, interoperable digital systems and closer coordination among governments, railway operators, ports and logistics providers,” he said at the Asean Transport Connectivity Forum 2026, which is running concurrently with Transport Expo Asia 2026 yesterday.
The Middle Corridor is a network of transport routes running from China to Europe via Central Asia, the Caspian Sea and the South Caucasus, reaching Turkiye and the Black Sea, and it has been operational since 2017.
“For Malaysia, this is an opportunity to contribute to a more integrated regional transport network. Our ports, especially those along the Straits of Malacca, together with our railways, highways and logistics hubs such as the Perlis Inland Port and the Segamat Inland Port, anchor the cross-border link between Malaysia and Thailand towards inland Asia,” Hasbi said.
“We must look beyond our individual infrastructure and focus on the bigger picture of connecting markets and enabling trade.”
The forum, themed “Bridging Continents: Operationalising the Eurasian-Asean Rail Corridor”, follows the Global Transport Connectivity Forum (GTCF) 2025 in Türkiye, which established transport connectivity as a key enabler of international trade, economic cooperation and regional integration.
This year’s Asean Transport Connectivity Forum (ATCF) in Kuala Lumpur aims to move that dialogue towards action by linking the Middle Corridor between Türkiye and China with Asean’s network running from China through Laos and Thailand to Malaysia.
Malaysia sees its role as a maritime anchor through ports along the Straits of Melaka, supported by integrated railways and highways and by cross-border hubs such as the Perlis Inland Port and Segamat Inland Port, which anchor trade with Thailand towards inland Asia.
To make the corridor work, Hasbi said the focus must be on efficient border crossings, harmonised cross-border procedures, interoperable digital transport systems, and stronger coordination among governments, railway operators, ports, and logistics providers, so it is ‘not just built’ but also functions efficiently, sustainably, and commercially.
Hasbi also stressed that no single nation can deliver the vision of a connected region alone. It requires governments to cooperate, industries to invest and operators to turn plans into performance.
“We are here to consider how we can make it work efficiently, sustainably and, of course, commercially.”
He added that the true measure of connectivity is not how many routes are drawn on a map, but how effectively those routes bring people, businesses and markets together.
“Connecting a continent is a bold ambition. Making those connections work is our responsibility,” he said.
Hasbi urged participants to go beyond linking countries.
“Let us not simply build corridors that connect countries. Let us build corridors that connect economies, create opportunities and deliver prosperity,” he said.
He reiterated that connectivity is not only about reaching new places, but about opening doors.
It allows people to access better jobs, businesses to reach new markets, communities to obtain essential services, and nations to unlock their full economic potential.
Hasbi said beyond roads, railways, ports and airports, connectivity is about creating meaningful links between people, places, economies and aspirations.
He also said success should not be judged only by how efficiently people and goods are moved.
“It is measured by how effectively we transform lives, expand opportunities and create a more inclusive and prosperous future for all.”
In closing, Hasbi said connectivity is ultimately about more than where people can travel.
“It is about what we can achieve when opportunities are within everyone’s reach,” he said.