Azreen (middle) giving pointers to a worker at his workshop in Taman Kota Masai, Pasir Gudang.
THE government should provide more training centres to produce skilled manpower in the automotive industry particularly for electric vehicles (EV).
Johor Bumiputera Automotive and Tyre Association chairman Azreen Men said the presence of electric car giant Tesla was a signal that the country’s automotive industry was in need of an overhaul.
“It is important to have a strong foundation, and the foundation starts with training the current and future industry workers on EV technology.
“Currently, there are only a handful of places offering such training, and the courses are expensive.
“We need to spend more than RM2,000 per worker for an EV course in Kuala Lumpur,” he said when contacted.
Azreen said one way the government could cut costs in training local manpower was by organising a mobile workshop in every state.
“The government can hire an expert or partner up with an EV company that will go around the country to provide hands-on training for industry players.
“The government could also provide a grant or sponsor a workshop for industry players to learn the latest technology used in the automotive industry,” he said.
Azreen said the government should look into placing more charging stations in the country too, as EV batteries take a long time to fully charge.
“More users means more waiting, and this translates to the need for more charging stations.
“Users will eventually push for more fast-charging stations to be installed, though they are more expensive compared to slow chargers,” he added.
Government agencies need to ensure that all industry players and not just start-ups benefit from all the incentives given, said Azreen.
“The government could inadvertently hurt the industry by not providing help for established businesses while only giving opportunities to the new ones.
“In reality, some of these established businesses also need guidance and help to grow and improve,” he said.
Earlier, it was reported that Tesla Sdn Bhd (Tesla), the Malaysian arm of Tesla Inc, had officially begun operations in Malaysia on July 20 with the launch of its Model Y and Model 3 for the local market.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said, in a statement, that Tesla would also be setting up its Malaysia head office in Selangor this year.
