No banning of electric vehicles
By Elvina Fernandez
elvina@nst.com.my
"That includes the electric bicycle, as it is environmentally friendly," he said after unveiling the country's pioneering lithium-ion battery-powered two-wheelers yesterday.
Chin was responding to a report last week quoting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha as saying that the Transport Ministry was preparing a paper recommending the ban of electric bicycles.
"We strongly feel that green technology is crucial in tackling climate change.
"Green technology is the government's proactive action to spur industries and institutions to be eco-technology innovators," said Chin.
He said supporting EVs was in line with Malaysia's efforts to reduce the country's carbon emissions by 40 per cent in 2020.
Former transport minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, who was present at the unveiling ceremony, said of the 19 million fossil fuel-powered motor vehicles, 8.9 million were motorcycles.
"Imagine how much cleaner the environment will be when EVs replace all those polluting motor vehicles."
Ong said the cost of EVs would be brought down over time due to competition and research and development in the country.
The three Malaysian-made models of electric two-wheelers by Eclimo Sdn Bhd are priced between RM12,000 and RM30,000.
New Straits Times reader S. Shah, in his letter published on Monday, expressed disappointment over the transport minister's proposal to ban electric bicycles.
Shah, who bought an electric bicycle a few years ago, said the benefits outweighed the risks.
http://utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2011&dt=0321&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Ekonomi&pg=ek_01.htm
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