No Changes To Nap, Says Minister Mustapa

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- There will be no changes to the National Automotive Policy (NAP), said Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Mustapa Mohamed. He said this was because the policy, which was launched two years ago, has incorporated the Internet of Things and driverless cars and electrical vehicles were developing well. "No need to amend the NAP. It has attracted many firms to invest in energy-efficient vehicles (EEVs) in Malaysia. "At this car show, some new companies, like the Beijing Auto International Corp (BAIC), are showcasing their EEVs assembled in Malaysia. "They are here because the NAP promotes EEVs and the policy is moving well," he told reporters on the sidelines of the 2016 Malaysia Autoshow here Thursday. BAIC unveiled Malaysia's first electric passenger vehicle, a joint-venture with local company, Amber Dual Sdn Bhd, at the car show here Thursday. Mustapa said the local car sector's contribution to the gross domestic product was expected to rise drastically as the sector was matured. "The government will continue to work with industry players so that they will continue to attract foreign direct investments and create trade and employment opportunities in the car eco-system. "There are 600,000 people in the car eco-system and our priority is to replace the migrant workers in the vendor industry, and the Malaysia Automotive Institute is training more than 25,000 skilled workers to replace the migrant workers working with vendors," he said. -- BERNAMA