“Malaysia should not lose out on the opportunities that EVs can bring, and we hope the government will allocate funding in the 2022 budget to develop an e-mobility roadmap.
“We need to look into creating a holistic EV ecosystem, expanding proper infrastructure, introducing tax incentives for both businesses and customers, and more. Volkswagen Malaysia is always ready to support the government with industry insights and knowledge wherever needed,” he told Bernama.
Winter said the government’s ambition in the 12MP to enhance e-mobility was a crucial step for the country to become a low-carbon nation, and that the shift was already happening globally where EVs were quickly becoming the norm.
Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd president and chief operating officer Sarly Adle Sarkum said Honda was the pioneer in introducing hybrid technology to the Malaysian market in line with the government’s effort to promote and develop green technology.
“We would appreciate it if the government could encourage various green technology policies and incentives to promote green technology among automotive players in the industry,” he said.
Sarly said Honda Malaysia was also appreciative of the government’s effort to extend the sales tax exemption until December 2021 and hoped another extension would be announced in the budget.
“We hope the government will consider extending the sales tax exemption up until June 2022, as we believe it will help many Malaysians purchase cars with extra savings and at the same time boost the automotive industry,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Association of Malaysia (FMCCAM) is hoping for government grants and soft loans for its members in the 2022 budget.
Its president Tony Khor said FMCCAM’s digital initiative – called ezAuto, which aims to transform the used car industry – still lacked development to cater to the ever changing requirements of the industry.
“During the movement control order (MCO) and conditional MCO, the ezAuto contactless transaction platform provided free used car trading and bidding services to more than 700 small, medium and micro used-car dealers. We would like the government to support and provide some grants in order for us to enhance and introduce new digital features to the online platform.”
Khor, who manages over 4,500 registered dealers under the FMCCAM umbrella, said some members were facing severe hardship in sustaining their businesses due to the pandemic.
“We hope the government can provide soft business loans to our members in order for them to ride through this tough period until the economy picks up,” he added.