Auto makers get nod to operate after being re-listed as essential service

PETALING JAYA: After being instructed to stop operations during the present movement control order (MCO 2.0), car makers in Malaysia are now allowed to resune business.

The Government had initially deemed car manufacturing and assembly as non-essential and struck them off the list of essential industries on Jan 12. Automakers were sldo ordered to shut down during the first MCO last March.

Nikkei Asia had reported that Toyota and Honda decided to suspend operations in Malaysia. Honda was quoted as saying that it woould resume operations at the end of the MCO 2.0 on Jan 26 or whenever it would officially end. Toyota had responded by saying it would decide when to resune business at a later time.

Toyota associate Perodua had also suspended production on Jan 14.

At the same time, car workshops are also permitted to carry on business during MCO 2.0.