BMW Group Malaysia has announced officially that it welcomes the revisions to the National Automotive policy (NAP) as outlined by the Minister of International Trade and Industry, Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, as these revisions provide the Malaysian automotive industry with a clear path to where the industry will be moving towards in the years to come.
BMW Malaysia: “The widened definition of Energy Efficient Vehicles (EEV) beyond technology specific criteria as well as engine size based criteria is a key step forward towards enhancing Malaysia’s automotive industry to be in a truly competitive level internationally. We at BMW believe that this recognition of the adoption of Advanced Green Technology as an instrumental component of Malaysia’s future economic growth is a key step in the right direction and transforms Malaysia into a truly viable hub for the assembly and manufacture of Advanced Automotive Technology.
Nevertheless, we believe that it is important for further transparency and discussions to be conducted between MAI, MITI and the local automotive industry players to clarify what the actual exemptions to EEV vehicles assembled in Malaysia will be as only from there will firm business decisions regarding the market be made. These discussions should be conducted swiftly and carefully to ensure that both the automakers as well as the public can benefit mutually from the new policies moving forward.
Having said this, we also hope that the Malaysian government will come to a decision regarding the implementation of Euro IV standard fuel soon. With many of our neighbours in ASEAN, not to mention the most vibrant automotive markets in the world, already working with EURO IV or better fuel standards today, the improvement of Malaysia’s fuel standards will be an important factor in determining the viability of Malaysia as an automotive exporter, and be very critical in allowing us to achieve an export volume of RM 5 billion by the year 2020 as outlined in this review of the NAP.” – Dr. Gerhard Pils, Chief Executive Officer, BMW Group Malaysia.
Text & Image courtesy of BMW Malaysia.
