KUALA LUMPUR: The government is evaluating four more bids from foreign carmakers to produce energy- efficient vehicles (EEVs) in Malaysia.
Their identities will be revealed by year-end, said International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.
The authorities are checking out two firms that are keen to take part in Malaysia’s EEV programme, Mustapa said at the launch of his ministry’s 2013 annual report, here, yesterday.
Under the revised National Automotive Policy (NAP) unveiled in January, Malaysia is being positioned as a hub for the manufacture and production of EEV automobiles that meet a set of defined specifications in terms of carbon emission levels and fuel consumption.
EEVs include fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids, electric vehicles and alternatively fuelled vehicles, such as compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and fuel cell.
Malaysia’s first EEV manufacturing licence was recently issued to Go Automobile Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (GAM), in partnership with Great Wall Motor Co Ltd (GWM).
GWM is the largest producer of sports utility vehicles and pick-up trucks in China.
It was reported that the GAM-GWM partnership will produce EEVs at a plant in Gurun, Kedah, with a production capacity of 100,000 units by 2018.
On Bank Negara Malaysia’s move to hike the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR), Mustapa said it will not impact investment activities or dent investors’ confidence.
He said Malaysia will remain an attractive destination for investments.
“The overnight increase is minimal and it has to do with the bigger picture in terms of the economic position, such as the slight increase in the inflation rate and domestic debt.”
Bank Negara announced on Thursday a 25-basis-point increase in the OPR to 3.25 per cent.
Mustapa said there is a need to make some adjustments as concerns have been expressed of late on the size of the household debt and believed this had been taken into consideration.
