State Senior Exco for Investment, Industry and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said one of the companies was an e-hailing car maker, while the other an electric bus manufacturer. – Picture by Hari Anggara
MELAKA, Feb 28 – The Melaka government has received two more proposals from China’s electric vehicle makers to set up assembly plants here and has submitted them to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) for further action.
State Senior Exco for Investment, Industry and Entrepreneur Development Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh said one of the companies was an e-hailing car maker, while the other an electric bus manufacturer.
Preliminary assessments and the potential of the two companies are being evaluated, he said.
“We are identifying several new locations to be used as assembly plants for electric vehicles with the necessary facilities as per the guidelines provided by investors.
“However, this will take some time because we need to do a study on the areas involved, which have to be relatively large to be suitable,” he told the media after opening the second session of the 15th Melaka State Legislative Assembly at the Seri Negeri Complex here today.
Ab Rauf said the two companies are ready set up the plants on a joint venture basis with interested local companies.
He said Melaka’s industrial friendly policies were among the factors that have attracted international interest in the automotive industry, especially the making of electric vehicles.
The opening of more electric vehicle assembly plants would raise the value of state investments, open up job opportunities for the locals, and encourage the efficient use of new technologies.
The media reported in January that the state would be receiving investments worth RM1 billion involving the auto industry, which includes the building of the state’s first electric vehicle assembly plant in the Elkay Lipat Kajang Industrial Area, Jasin.
The investment involves China’s Changan Automobile Corporation in collaboration with Fieldman EV Sdn Bhd via the construction of a factory with a 200-hectare footprint expected to take off in two years. – Bernama