Revised national auto policy will allow more car models to come in

PETALING JAYA: The revised National Automotive Policy (NAP), which
aims to liberalise the local automotive industry, will encourage an
open market and allow greater availability of vehicle models with the
latest technologies in the country, said Malaysia Automotive Institute
(MAI) chief executive officer Madani Sahari.
“Within certain segments of our local automotive industry, there is domination by certain models,” he said.
Madani
said the NAP would allow greater market forces through its policies to
liberalise the local automotive sector, such as the emphasis to make
Malaysia a regional, if not global, energy efficient vehicles (EEVs)
hub.
“With EEVs in Malaysia, existing players both local and
foreign will face stiff competition. These (EEV players) are original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that are producing (EEVs) in their
country of origin.”
EEVs are vehicles that meet a set of defined
specifications in terms of emission level and energy usage including
fuel efficient vehicles on ICE technologies, hybrid, electric vehicles
and alternatively fuelled vehicles such as compressed natural gas
(CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biodiesel, ethanol, hydrogen and
fuel cell.
Last month, StarBiz reported that three
China-based automotive companies were close to making Malaysia their
EEV base of operations for the region. Madani said the authorisation
for EEVs in Malaysia would be based on a single standard.
“There
will be one standard for EEVs in Malaysia and it will comply with the
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) World Forum on
Harmonisation of Motor Vehicles Regulations (WP 29). With this
implementation, the safety aspect of cars in Malaysia will
systematically be enhanced,” said Madani.
The MAI is an agency
under the International Trade and Industry Ministry (MITI) that was
established as the focal point and coordination centre for the
development of the local automotive industry.
Madani pointed out that the NAP was aligned with the Government's Economic Transformation Programme (ETP)
and is aimed at creating a “quantum leap” for the local automotive
industry players to move forward and face global automotive challenges
of the future.
“The objective of the revised NAP is to create a competitive automotive business atmosphere in Malaysia,” he said.
Madani
said that with the latest standards and the emphasis to make Malaysia
an EEV hub, Malaysians would be able to have access to models with the
latest technologies.
“Today, items such as airbags, global
positioning systems (GPS) and anti-lock braking systems (ABS) are
naturally included in all cars in other countries. In Malaysia, it's
not, and these are not even high-tech items!”
Madani also said the NAP would standardise the local automotive after-market industry.
“This
industry has a direct impact on the consumer. We need to set proper
systems to standardise all of the stakeholders in the after-market that
includes workshops (independent ones or those directly under OEMs),
tyres and accessories shops, spare parts centres (new and used parts)
and car dealers.
“The NAP focuses to give consumers greater
benefits that include costs transparency, enhanced level of repair and
services with proper procedures and qualification of mechanics, spare
parts standardisation, insurance coverage and others,” he said. Madani
pointed out that the independent dealers received lower insurance
coverage, causing customers to eventually pay a higher price for their
services.
As part of the Government's goal to ensure safety,
Madani said the NAP also proposed for a policy regarding the inspection
of vehicles exceeding a certain number of years in Malaysia.
“This
policy is to ensure good road-worthiness of your vehicle and the
inspection will be based on a single, globalised standard.”
He said this policy is aimed at educating consumers on the importance of inspecting their cars on a regular basis.
“It
will not be a mandatory procedure as we need to ensure that there is
sufficient infrastructure to carry out the checks and cost structure
for consumers to inspect their cars need to be competitive,'' said
Madani.