The half-day technical seminar organised by Electrical Engineering Technical Division (EETD), in collaboration with Prsymian, with the title of “Powering the Future: Safe, Smart & Sustainable Cable Solutions for Malaysia” was successfully held on 28 October 2026, at Malakoff Auditorium, Wisma IEM, with a total attendance of 33 participants. The seminar brought together engineers, industry practitioners and technical professionals to explore the developments in cable technology, electrical safety, regulatory compliance and sustainable infrastructure solutions to support Malaysia’s future energy requirements.
The seminar featured two speakers from Prysmian, namely Mr. Ridzwan Mustapa, Technical Commercial Support Manager – Southeast Asia, and Mr. Pang Tze Wei, Senior Manager T&I (Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam) & Network Components – Southeast Asia.
At the first half presentation session, focused on Market Trends, Selection & Compliance. He highlighted the key factors driving cable demand across ASEAN, including the expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Centers, ASEAN power grid, Electric Vehicle Charging Facilities, Renewable Energy projects and smart cities. The presentation also covered Malaysia’s regulatory developments and relevant cable standards, particularly the latest requirements issued by BOMBA, JKR and the Energy Commission. Emphasis was placed on fire safety, flame-retardant performance, low-smoke and halogen-free (LSHF) cable requirements, as well as the implementation of the new electrical wiring colour code. To further illustrate the importance of cable fire performance, demonstrations with the simulator machines were conducted to simulate the impact of fire exposure on fire-rated cables and to compare the smoke emission effects of LSHF cables against conventional PVC cables. These demonstrations provided participants with a better understanding of how cable material selection can influence fire safety, smoke generation and the protection of people and equipment during fire incidents. The importance of proper cable selection, installation practices and compliance with applicable Malaysian and international standards was also discussed.
The presentation then continued in exploring the importance of future-proofing electrical installations in response to increasing power demands, particularly from data centres and emerging technologies. Key technical areas included thermal resilience, current-carrying capacity, fire performance and the advantages of higher temperature withstanding cable technology. The speakers also highlighted the role of digitalisation in improving cable asset management through condition monitoring, fault diagnostics, predictive maintenance, dynamic rating and fibre-optic sensing technologies. In addition, the sustainability segment discussed carbon emission reduction across the cable lifecycle, covering raw material sourcing, manufacturing, transportation and recycling. The adoption of low-carbon materials and circular economy practices was highlighted as part of the industry’s transition towards more sustainable solutions. Various medium-voltage cable accessories, connectors, joints, terminations and cable management components were also introduced.
The seminar concluded with an interactive Question and Answer session, providing participants with the opportunity to seek clarification and exchange technical insights with both speakers.
In a nutshell, the seminar provided valuable knowledge and practical insights into the evolving cable industry. It reinforced the importance of selecting safe, compliant and technologically advanced cable solutions while embracing digitalisation and sustainability to support Malaysia’s infrastructure development and energy transition.
