Some believe the import restriction, to some extent, helps drive investment in Malaysia’s EV manufacturing sector, which in turn supports ecosystem development. In view of the latest restriction, Bermaz will have to consider shelving its plan to bring in Mazda EV models to Malaysia. “The import restriction will ensure that no more cheap EVs flood the local market. “The government therefore needs to continue to protect the local automobile industry as a whole because of the social economic impacts,” says a senior executive. However, the fierce competition is unlikely to abate as the new entrants are now assembling CKD EVs here.

Source: The Edge Markets February 04, 2026 07:02 UTC