Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) will work with the relevant agencies to establish standards for steel use in buildings, Deputy Minister Liew Chin Tong said today. He noted that this move comes in response to feedback from architects who enjoy working with steel but often encounter challenges due to concerns related to standards.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, while concrete is frequently the preferred material for construction due to its lower cost, steel presents significant advantages. Liew highlighted that steel is longer lasting, lighter in weight, and easier to repurpose, which contributes to minimizing wastage throughout its lifecycle.

Liew further explained that this issue was a topic of discussion at a recent dialogue he organized, which included architects, engineers, and steel industry players. The aim was to explore methods for encouraging greater use of steel in buildings.

“Throughout my time in MITI, I have seen firsthand that Malaysia has strong capabilities, not only in manufacturing but also in services. We should strengthen horizontal linkages between these strengths so that industries can learn from and inspire one another,” Liew stated.

He emphasized that with the right dialogue and inputs from industry players, conditions for innovation can be created, allowing industries to flourish and undergo transformation.