Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he discussed Tesla Inc.’s investments and invited SpaceX to the Southeast Asian country during a virtual meeting with Elon Musk.
“I welcome the company’s interest and investment decisions in Malaysia as well as Elon Musk’s willingness to come to Malaysia,” Anwar said in a statement Friday issued after the call that lasted about 25 minutes. Musk is chief executive officer of both Tesla and SpaceX.
Anwar said the two also discussed how SpaceX’s Starlink could help provide high-speed Internet, particularly to remote Malaysian villages. The ministries of international trade and communications will assist the three companies to ensure synergy, he added.
“On SpaceX, when it was launched in 2009, many countries even those in the west did not have much confidence in them, but Elon said that we had faith in them,” Anwar said in a separate speech at the Finance Ministry. “I cannot take credit for this. It is due to our past leaders but Malaysia is proud with that decision.”
Tesla is set to launch its lineup in Malaysia on July 20. The pre-booking for its Model Y range began this week, with a starting price of 199,000 ringgit ($44,000), according to its website. Deliveries will start next year.
READ: Tesla Starts Selling Chinese-Made Model Y in Korea For $44,000
Malaysia is focusing on the development of an EV ecosystem and has offered tax breaks to boost adoption, as part of its mission to meet net zero emission goals by 2050. The country has a target of having EVs — including hybrids — account for 15% of the total industry volume by 2030.
Tesla in March said it will build a network of supercharges across the country. BYD Co., China’s best-selling car brand, in December said it will sell its EVs in Malaysia in a 500 million ringgit tie-up with Sime Darby Motors Sdn.
(Updates with Anwar’s comments in fourth paragraph.)
