KUALA LUMPUR: The Government is expected to pick the private company that would take charge of the third national car project on Jan 28, according to a Berita Harian report today.
That is the day when Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad would chair a meeting of the National Development Council that would sieve through a selection of contenders.
Ten private investors have expressed an interest to bid for the project to create the first hybrid car that would have semi-autonomous features.
Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (Might) CEO Datuk Mohd Yusoff Sulaiman echoed the federal stand that the appointed company would not rely on government funding but would instead set up a consortium with private investors to minimise risks.
The meeting would also pick the vendors to support the car project, the Malay daily quoted him as saying.
Among the candidate companies that sought to take on the project were SilTerra Malaysia Sdn Bhd and Sime Darby Auto Engineering, said Mohd Yusoff.
Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof had said in October last year that the hybrid car could arrive "before 2020."
Dr Mahathir had proposed the car project last year, arguing that it would boost the manufacturing industry and transfer of technology. His idea was met with widespread public criticism, while some quarters urged caution in carrying out the capital-intensive plan.
