Cerdan: The vision of making Malaysia an automobile export hub is likely to be achieved on the back of strong government policies such as the National Automobile Policy 2020 (NAP 2020) and the New Industries Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry said. Stated.Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz
He said key initiatives supporting this vision include the national EV project led by Perodua, electric vehicle production by Proton, and the development of the Automotive High-Tech Valley (ATHV) by DRB-Hicom.
“Looking to the future, I am confident that with the support of all industry players and key stakeholders, Malaysia will remain an investment destination capable of delivering growth to our people and businesses,” he said at the launch of the Malaysia Auto Show 2024 today.
NAP 2020 was originally launched for the period 2020-2030 and is now nearing the halfway point.
Therefore, Tengku Zafrul said, Miti, in cooperation with MARii, will conduct a mid-term review of NAP 2020, taking into account the rapid advances in technology, especially in the field of energy efficient vehicles (EEV) and electric vehicles (EV). He said he would start work on it.
He added that the goal is not only to remain relevant, but also to pursue excellence in fostering the prosperity of Malaysia’s automotive ecosystem.
“Rest assured, this consultation process will be comprehensive and cover key stakeholders to address industry concerns and take advantage of new opportunities,” he said.
Tengku Zafrul said the vision of NAP 2020 is to make Malaysia a regional manufacturing powerhouse for next generation vehicles (NxGV), EVs and EEVs.
Meanwhile, he added that NIMP 2030 will transform Malaysia’s industrial environment and promote the automotive industry by supporting high-growth and high-tech industries.
“We are actively strengthening our E&E, chemicals and automotive manufacturing capabilities, for example to support the supply side of the EV value chain, including the development of affordable EVs,” he said. .
Tengku Zafrul pointed out that Malaysia’s automotive industry is currently the second largest in Southeast Asia.
“Total industry sales were 799,731 units, ranking 23rd in the world in 2023,” he said.
He said the EV market will continue to develop, with approximately 11,000 battery electric and hybrid vehicles sold in the first quarter of 2024.
“Our automotive sector stands out as a cornerstone of our economy, as evidenced by significant investments worth billions of ringgits and aggressive expansion from both local and international investors,” he said.
On human resources, Tengku Zafrul said MITI was taking steps to create a pipeline that would help develop skilled STEM and TVET talent to feed into high-tech industries, including the automotive industry.
On May 11, he joined the first batch of 94 workers who graduated from Malaysian Productivity Corporation’s upskilling program.
“There will be 28 classes in 2024 alone. We want to continue running this program and enable the technology industry, including the automotive industry, to tap into a strong talent pipeline,” said Tengku Zafrul. Stated.
The minister also said that growth in the automotive industry will be supported by regional trends, consumer demand and adoption of models by automotive OEMs that foster economic growth and ecosystem development.
“In 2023 alone, we saw evidence of this growth through the launch of 67 new models. You can feel the strong atmosphere of rapid growth in the industry,” said Tengku Zafrul.
