To cut red tape, Kepong MP calls for EV regulator agency under PM’s Department

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 — A DAP lawmaker has today proposed a single agency to manage all matters related to the electric vehicle (EV) industry in Malaysia.

Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng told the Dewan Rakyat that the industry is filled with bureaucracy and red tape, and falls under the purview of several ministries at once.

“To bring the EV [into the country] it needed the approval of Miti (Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry), to use [the EV] on the road it needed the approval of MoT (Ministry of Transport), and then the charging station involves the approval of the Ministry of Local Government Development.

“Maybe the battery will involve the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources? So I want to ask the minister, to suggest to the Cabinet, to create a single body agency under the Prime Minister’s Department whereby all the policies and regulations will be approved by the prime minister, and all the ministries must comply, no questions asked,” Lim told the Parliament during the Minister Question Time.

In response, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said the issue was previously raised based on the number of charging sessions in the country.

He noted that a regulating committee needs to include representatives from all levels of ministries, agencies, industry players and stakeholders who are involved in the EV ecosystem.

“At Miti, there is the role of a driver and coordinator [of the EV industry in Malaysia]. There are two levels, one is the National EV Taskforce, the second is in the Cabinet which is also actually represented by the relevant ministers, and the other is called the national EV steering committee,” Tengku Zafrul said.

“But Kepong, we need to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies because in terms of laws and guidelines, they are located [in their respective ministries]. But thank God with the Cabinet, it monitors the involvement of the ministers involved in the national EV steering committee.”

While tabling Budget 2024 last week, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said his administration is committed to developing Malaysia’s EV industry and encouraging public adoption of the technology to achieve net zero carbon emission.

During his speech, he announced that the government welcomed the investment worth RM170 million from established companies, namely Tenaga Nasional Bhd, Gentari and Tesla Malaysia, to build 180 EV charging stations.