The Malaysian Insight

PUTRAJAYA will allow the private sector to continue developing “flying cars” until a government policy is ready, said Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The entrepreneur development and cooperatives minister said his ministry and the International Trade and Industry Ministry have been promoting high-technology ventures, but still lack the expertise, as well as specific policies and laws.

“As such, we will let the private sector work on this until the government has a specific policy and laws,” he told the Dewan Rakyat during question time today.

He was responding to Hatta Ramli (Lumut-PH), who asked about the progress of the “flying car” project and whether the government will continue with it.

Wan Junaidi said: “We ridiculed the ‘flying car’ concept when the previous (entrepreneur) minister (Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof) suggested it.

“But the term ‘flying car’ is just a generic name for urban mobility in the US.

“For example, New Hampshire has crafted laws for air taxis, or vertical landing and take-off vehicles. The term they use is also ‘flying car’, although it refers to drones or super drones used in urban centres to reduce traffic congestion.”

However, the Santubong MP was unable to answer a question by Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Pasir Mas-PAS) on what happened to the RM20 million funding given to the project last year.

“I cannot tell you what happened (to the funding), as I’m not sure. But I’m certain the ministry that gave the funding is monitoring the progress (of the project).

“As of now, some US$15 billion (RM63 billion) has been invested in drone technology worldwide.”

Last year, the Public Accounts Committee said Redzuan announced the project before it got cabinet approval.

It also said Malaysia has yet to have laws and regulations relating to “flying cars”.

The committee found that neither the International Trade and Industry Ministry nor the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology was consulted on the venture. – August 5, 2020.