KUALA LUMPUR – The government has no plans for an end-of-life vehicle policy for old vehicles given its impracticality, but encourages the public to move towards using carbon-free electric vehicles or public transport.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said such a policy could not be implemented, taking into account the country’s socio-economic needs and the public’s dependence on private vehicles.
“We don’t have a policy for end-of-life vehicles unlike some (other) countries. If there is a policy to scrap old cars, it will burden the people.
“Data shows car sales are rising, which indicates the economy is in good shape. It is an indicator that we still depend on private vehicles, there is no policy to prevent vehicle ownership,” he said.
Loke was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the High-Level 15th Regional Environmentally Sustainable Transport Forum in Asia here today.
In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals towards a carbon emission-free country by 2030, Loke said the government would continue investing in public transport.
“In terms of the ratio of public transportation to private vehicles, the usage of public transport is still very low at around less than 20%,” he said, adding that increasing usage would take a lot of effort, time and government investment.
He also said that tremendous efforts are being made to encourage the country’s EV industry, and the ministry has implemented an RM2,400 rebate for e-motorbikes, considering that around half of the 30 million vehicles in Malaysia are motorcycles. – October 24, 2023