Malaysia must move further into electric vehicles industry
20 Oct 2021
As electric vehicles (EV) become instruments to disrupt the already mature automotive industry, it is no longer an option but the only path for Malaysia to move further into the industry.
According to TGT Automotive Solution Sdn Bhd founder Kevin Tham, Malaysia has been in the electrical and electronics (E&E) industry for more than 50 years and is the largest automotive integrated circuit (IC) exporter in the world.
Being involved in a company that provides tech solutions to the automotive sector, he said the country has E&E research and development engineers to complete an electronics system from IC level to system level.
“With Proton and Perodua, we have a complete skillset of automotive design engineering. Therefore, Malaysia has the best fundamentals to transform into a regional EV hub for compared with our neighbouring countries.
“Tesla has shown a vivid example of how it has forced German automotive manufacturers to change direction from hybrid to EV overnight. China has shown another country how it is well prepared one to two decades ago in EV technology development and efforts to nurture the market.
“Today, China is the largest EV manufacturer and is the largest EV market in the world,” Tham said in a statement today.
Hence, he said Malaysia must not be overthrown by its neighbouring countries like Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Among TGT Automotive’s suggestions to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) is to focus on several critical components besides battery technology.
It includes power train system involving semiconductor device development, IC fabrication, automotive-grade packaging technology to power train system integration, as well as integration of EV dynamic battery recycled into ESS (energy storage system) for solar panel or UPS (uninterruptible power supply/source) power equipment.
Wheelspin Motorsports director Jagjeet Singh said MOSTI played a pivotal role in this endeavour as it has the resources to engage related industry experts able to offer solutions finetuned for Malaysia, which could then be transformed into an action plan utilising a ‘whole of government approach’.
Therefore, he said MOSTI Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba has made a timely move to address the issue as Malaysia is currently falling behind in terms of EV adoption compared with other countries in the region.
“In tune with a global call to reduce carbon emissions, Malaysia can play its part by way of encouraging the use of EVs in all sectors ranging from transport, recreational to motorsport,” said Jagjeet.
On Sept 27, when tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) in the Dewan Rakyat, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said a comprehensive National Energy Policy would be introduced to provide a long-term strategic direction to support the aspirations of a carbonneutral nation.
“I am committed towards making Malaysia a carbon-neutral country as early as 2050,” he said.
To support this effort, Ismail Sabri said economic instruments such as carbon pricing and carbon tax will be introduced, while details of other measures for carbon reduction will be announced once the low-carbon long-term development strategy study is finalised by the end of 2022.
The Prime Minister said cleaner electricity generation would also be implemented through the operation of several gas power plants in Peninsular Malaysia to replace coal-fired power plants.
Source: Bernama
