Malaysia in discussions with automakers about making the country a hybrid and EV assembly/distribution point

The Malaysian government is in the midst of discussions with foreign automakers for the latter to set up electric and hybrid vehicle assembly and distribution points here, Bernama reports.

Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir, who made the announcement, said that the discussion is at several stages, adding that the government will wait for the respective companies to make the announcement.

“The manufacturers are from many countries, but I cannot reveal the details for now. Some are serious, and some want to think about the idea,” he told reporters at the launch of the BMW Vision Efficient Dynamics Showcase in KL on Tuesday.

Mukhriz said the plans are in line with the government’s aspiration to transform Malaysia into an electric and hybrid vehicle hub in the region, and also said that Malaysia is trying to look at it from the standpoint of the Asean market rather than just the local market alone.

He added that the government is also talking to several automotive parts and component makers to establish plants here.

“We understand also that there are a number of different components in the car manufacturing industry, including in the hybrid business. So once we are talking wih the automotive sector, we are also talking to the parts and components suppliers to convince them to look at Malaysia as a serious destination for their investment, while at the same time supporting the industry as a whole,” he said.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Thu, 19 Jan 12 04:25:20 +0000.

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