According to finance minister Lim Guan Eng, a new national car project as suggested by prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad cannot be supported by public funds and must be backed by the private sector instead.
In an interview with Channel NewsAsia, Lim said he had discussed the matter with Mahathir following the prime minister’s return from Japan. “I told the prime minister that we don’t have the money, and he knows it … So it is not from public funds, it’s not like Proton, no,” said Lim.
“If there are private parties who want to do it in Malaysia using their own money, I think that is something that would be worthwhile looking at – but not from public funds,” he added.
Lim also said he believed the idea for a new national car project was provided by a private party but the government has yet to see a proposal so far. Previously, Mahathir stated the government is welcoming proposals for the project and that it will depend on foreign partners initially. He also said a new national car project would help Malaysia boost its engineering capability.
Last week, Khairy Jamaluddin chimed in on the matter, saying a new national car project would be a regressive move after the government put an end to the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Line 3 (MRT3) project. The politician said a new national car project would also make it more costly for customers who wish to purchase a non-national car due to excise duties that are as high as 105%.
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Just look at korea n japan they really sers on their car market.We malaysian politics never ending criticise weii all of you grown up la
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments express skepticism about government involvement and private funding in the national car project, citing past failures like Proton. Many highlight Malaysia's auto industry challenges, including lack of competitiveness, reliance on government protection, cronyism, and weak vendor development compared to Thailand. There's concern over potential government intervention, market distortions, and risk of public funds being used to bail out companies. Some believe the focus should shift to innovation, technology transfer, and non-automotive sectors for sustainable development. Others support the idea if it creates jobs without public money and involves trusted joint ventures, but most are critical of another costly government-led initiative. Overall, the sentiment is cautious and skeptical, emphasizing the need for transparency, fair market practices, and prioritizing long-term competitiveness over short-term political agendas.