PM Anwar says didn’t offer Elon Musk anything special to invest in Malaysia, suggests govt stability the draw

26 Aug 2023

Tycoon and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla Inc Elon Musk was not offered anything special to entice him to invest in Malaysia, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said.

Anwar, who is also the finance minister, said that Malaysia already had solid investment policies but appeared to suggest that investors like Musk were drawn by the stability of government under his administration, The Star reported last night.

“I was asked this by the chief editor of an international magazine who wanted to know what we offered to entice Musk to make a quick decision to invest in Malaysia.

“Actually, all our policies are already existing. Maybe now through this unity government, we can offer four years of political stability, economic clarity and our Madani economic policies,” he was quoted as saying during the 2024 Budget Roadshow in Johor yesterday.

Last month, Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari welcomed Tesla’s decision to set up its Malaysian base in Selangor this year, following a meeting between Anwar and Musk.

On March 1, the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) announced US-based Tesla’s decision to establish its presence in Malaysia by setting up a head office, Tesla Experience and Service centres and a supercharger network here, adding that this is expected to create better-paying jobs for Malaysians and increase participation of local companies in Tesla’s ecosystem.

On March 1, Miti also announced its approval of Tesla’s application to import battery electric vehicles into Malaysia.

Source: Malay Mail