KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 9 — Prasarana Berhad Malaysia has been instructed to procure only electric buses once the last batch of previously ordered diesel units is delivered March next year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said today.

The move comes as Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s government embarks on a grand project to turn Malaysia into a regional green energy powerhouse and tap an estimated US$2 trillion (RM9.3 trillion) market, starting with the push for more electrical vehicles use.

Loke said the directive is in line with the PM’s agenda of phasing out reliance on fossil-fuel technology.

"The last batch of diesel buses will be delivered in March next year. After that I’ve instructed them (Prasarana) to procure only electric buses,” he said at a press briefing of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad’s 2023 performance report.

Prasarana has set a target to phase out diesel buses by 2037. Between 2025 to 2030, the corporation said it wants to add over 1,100 electric buses.

For this year, 15 electric buses are operational as feeder buses for the Sunway BRT system. The federal government said 150 more electric buses would be purchased this year under Budget 2024 and used as feeders for the light transit rail 3 project.

Loke revealed today that Prasarana could be looking to buy 100 more.