Month: June 2022

When someone plays hard to get, we turn things up a few notches to make things more interesting. That is what the Indonesian government is doing right now in hopes that Tesla agrees to build its new factory in Central Java (or Kalimantan), and they’re planning to power it using geothermal power. It’s getting harder for Elon Musk to say no to Indonesia, eh?

What the Indonesian government is doing right now is promoting the use of renewable electricity supply sources for industrial estates. This move might help to attract more foreign investments, particularly Tesla and other firms who are really into reducing their overall carbon footprint.

*Image credit: Tesla

Tesla to build mega factory in Indonesia?

A recent report posted by The Star stated that Indonesia’s Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister, Luhut Pandjaitan, has proposed another ‘salt bae’ move towards Tesla to build its new mega factory in Batang regency of Central Java. The proposal involves the factory being supplied with green energy. This location was chosen in the proposal as its nearby geothermal sources can be harvested to supply around 400 megawatts of power, which can be used to power the Tesla gigantic plant.

Even the country’s president, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, has recently stated the idea of banning the export of renewable energy sources in hopes that it’ll make foreign investors more interested in inking deals with them rather than with countries they supply the electricity to. Again, another potential move to get that sweet, sweet Tesla deal signed and sealed.

*Image credit: Tesla

500,000 Teslas made in Indonesia

Luhut also mentioned that Tesla is also interested in the upcoming North Kalimantan Green Industrial Park project, which is currently being constructed and has the potential of being powered with hydro or solar power plants. By the looks of things, they might have enough juice to power that highly probable Tesla factory which is said to have an annual output of around 500,000 units of EVs.

As for Malaysia, Tesla is interested in including its network of rapid charging stations in the country but some folks, however, are stating that this move is just to cater to other neighbouring countries like Singapore which already have the brand’s sales operations.

As for the Malaysian government, some meetings have been reported here and there (not with Musk because if that has happened, all of us would’ve seen it all over the news by now), but not anywhere close to what Indonesia is doing right now just to get Tesla to set up shop (a really big one, too).

Jaguar Land Rover Malaysia (JLRM) has officially launched the new Jaguar XF for the Malaysian market (the last time was pre-launch, this time its launch-launch).

Updated for 2022, the new XF now comes with a new exterior design as well as a more premium interior in terms of both looks and feel.

Those who suddenly want to have a ‘Jag’ in their lives can now place their bookings for the XF (it was fully booked during the pre-launch phase, but has now been reopened). Exterior-wise, the XF is fitted with a refreshed front-end design that includes a new grille with lower-positioned air intakes, all-LED ‘Double J’ headlights, plus a sleek rear bumper to round up its new look.

More changes can be seen on the inside than out as the new XF now comes with a more ‘dynamic and bold’ cockpit setup for a more enhanced driving experience. It is said to have a much sportier centre console that blends into the dashboard and it also comes with a wireless device charger.

Speaking of dashboard, you’ll also find a new and wider 11.4-inch curved glass HD touchscreen that features the latest Pivi Pro infotainment tech. Not only is it three times brighter and 48% larger, but there’s also wireless Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto (for compatible smartphones only).

For RM498,800 (price includes 10% SST but without insurance, road tax, and registration), the new Jaguar XF RWD model comes ready with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine that produces 250PS which allows it to hit 0-100km/h in just 7.1 seconds (also thanks to its eight-speed automatic gearbox).

Other highlighted features include Active Road Noise Cancellation, Meridian Sound system, and Jaguar’s latest-generation driver assistance technology which comes ready with Adaptive Cruise Control as well as Driver Condition Monitor.

Kamarudin Mohd Hussain, president of Gabungan Teksi, Kereta Sewa, Limosin dan Teksi Lapangan Terbang SeMalaysia (GTSM), said customer demand for metered taxis has spiked since the borders reopened in April.

The above comment isn’t surprising given its source but neither is the claim that taxi usage has been recently climbing at all hours of the day.

Taxi usage on the rise?

Of course, the main cause for this increase is the consistently high prices presented to users of e-hailing services such as Grab, particularly for relatively short journeys, leading them to explore alternative means of transport.

One example of such an experience was that of K. Malar, who spoke to The Star saying she was quoted RM28 for a 5km journey from Mid Valley Megamall to her home in Taman United in Jalan Kelang Lama.

Not willing to pay such an exorbitant price, she opted for a metered taxi which ended up costing her RM13 instead, for which she tipped the driver an additional RM2, adding “the next time the e-hailing fares are high again, I will surely take a regular taxi.”

E-hailing fares out of control?

In a similar occurrence, Karen Tan, also speaking to The Star, said she was quoted RM9 for a 3km journey from her home in Happy Garden, Kuala Lumpur which “is an RM5 trip at the most and yet, the fee was almost double,” adding “had I not been carrying groceries, I would have walked home.”

It seems that the average Malaysian, particularly in the Klang Valley, has fallen very much out of love with e-hailing services due to its prices rising to unacceptable levels. Where before one might have been able to easily and fairly cheaply get around while relying on such services, they have now become prohibitively expensive.

In an ironic twist of fate, the same customer base that was quick to embrace e-hailing years ago due to bad experiences with metered taxis is now much more inclined to seek them out for the prospect of a much more reasonable fare.

Addressing the ‘first/last mile’ issue, Kamarudin of the GTSM advised people to form an orderly queue “at malls, transport hubs, and LRT stations, urging them to note down a taxi driver’s contact number to book them whenever the need arises for a more personalised and affordable fare.

On the rehabilitation of public opinion of taxis and taxi drivers, he urged Malaysians to “not view us all in a bad light because of one bad experience,” adding “If a taxi driver refuses to use the meter, do not use their service.”

Despite the rise of e-hailing over the past decade, it was reported that some 20,000 taxis were still operating in the greater Kuala Lumpur area. They are metered with fares controlled by the government unlike services such as Grab which uses a dynamic rate based on supply and demand at the sole discretion of the service provider.

Last month, the Transport Ministry called various e-hailing companies to answer for the outcry of complaints it has received from the public over sharp increases in pricing with an uptick of around 400% seen during peak hours in addition to a steady increase in base journey pricing.

Renewing your license isn’t a particularly difficult task, but Malaysians carrying an expired one may be forced to retake driving lessons/exams if no action is taken soon.

The Road Transport Department (JPJ) has posted a bulletin to remind all license holders that driving with an expired license is an offence, adding that those found to not have renewed past a new deadline of 30th June 2022 could have theirs revoked.

Renew driving license by June 30, 2022

Such an action would likely require the individual to go through the entire process of driving school and license application again, including the practical exams and in-class theory lessons.

Once the clock strikes midnight on July 1st, possible revocations apply to those Competent Driving License (CDL), a Public Service Vehicle (PSV), and Goods Driving License (GDL) holders that have elapsed expiry of more than three (3) years.

Meanwhile, those holding a Learner’s Driving License (LDL) that have not renewed it for over 1 year or a Probationary Driving License that’s more than 2 years expired will similarly face revocation and be required to repeat the entire process.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic where movement and public activity was severely restricted, the JPJ imposed a moratorium that allowed license holders to delay their required renewals.

This was extended multiple times but was officially ended on December 31st, 2021, at which point the department must have noticed that a worrying bulk of Malaysians had not made these renewals even by the adjusted deadline.

We would also like to remind our readers that CDL license holders can perform renewals through JPJ counters as well as at POS Malaysia locations and online via MyEG. While learner drivers can also perform renewals at the post office, PDL, PSV, and GSL license holders can only get it sorted directly through the JPJ.

In an official statement, Capital A’s Tony Fernandes declares that AirAsia has “paid back nearly everyone,” but have they?

Specifically, the AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (AAAGL), has announced through its Group CEO that 99% of all customer queries for refunds have been resolved and finalised while the remaining 0.8% is projected to be settled in the coming months.

Has AirAsia paid you back?

Few companies have managed to stain their reputations over the COVID-19 pandemic period as badly as AirAsia has with the low-cost carrier inflicting flight cancellations and other disruptions upon customers and, in most cases, could not offer them proper compensation.

Fernandes added: “AAX was in a much more difficult situation with international borders closed, so they were completely grounded for over two years with limited cash flow coming in during that period,”

“However, now that they are flying again, they are also paying their guests with outstanding credit back, with travel vouchers equivalent to the amount owed. Our other medium/long haul affiliate airline, Thai AirAsia X (TAAX) was similarly affected by the pandemic and is also working hard to settle all outstanding guest entitlements in the near future.”

AirAsia X CEO Benyamin Ismail, in the same communications release, confirmed that monetary compensation would not be disbursed, but that Capital A Berhad is using travel vouchers in lieu of actual refunds to measure the degree to which their debt to customers is ‘paid back’.

He added: “Under the terms of the scheme of arrangement that was sanctioned by the High Court further to our recent debt restructuring, we are legally restricted from making any cash refunds to our guests.  However,  AAX is pleased to extend credits by way of travel vouchers  to our guests, which are redeemable with immediate effect,”

“These travel vouchers are valid for five years and may be used for future travel to any of our medium to long haul destinations which will continue to be increased and made available throughout this year and beyond,”

“To date, the majority of all affected guests have received their travel vouchers (totalling over 155,000 guests) and we aim to complete the issuance of all remaining travel vouchers within the coming weeks.”

It would seem that a fair amount of customers aren’t exactly happy with these vouchers over hard cash. That, and the flight disruptions that followed them into the busy festive period of 2022, have further angered customers past and present, culminating in a massive PR backfire on Twitter.

“What advice will you give a first time flyer?”

That seemingly innocuous question was posted around 8am on June 11th but quickly drew the internet’s ire as unrelenting waves of bad experiences and negative sentiment were published in response to it.

Sebuah Toyota Yaris Ativ versi hibrid yang lebih dikenali sebagai Toyota Vios di negara ini telah dikesan sedang menjalani ujian jalan raya di Thailand.

Imej intipan tersebut telah dikongsikan oleh portal automotif Autolife Thailand, yang menyatakan model baharu itu dijangka bakal dilaksanakan pada Ogos 2022 dengan menampilkan enjin hibrid buat pertama kalinya.

*Kredit foto: Autolife Thailand

Berdasarkan beberapa keping gambar yang tersebar menunjukkan Toyota Yaris Ativ atau Vios ini melakukan ujian jalan raya, bentuk rupa hadapannya masih lagi mengekalkan gril hadapan yang berbentuk seperti Vios terdahulu, namun mungkin terdapat perubahan pada bentuk lampu hadapan dan belakangnya.  

*Kredit foto: Autolife Thailand

Walaupun banyak perincian reka bentuk pada prototaip Vios baharu ini disembunyikan oleh pelekat penyamaran, namun reka bentuknya dijangka meminjam beberapa tema penggayaan daripada Konsep Sedan Daihatsu DN-F 2017.

Dua Pilihan Rangkaian Kuasa

Di Thailand, Vios baharu ini juga dikhabarkan bakal hadir dengan dua pilihan kuasa:

Enjin petrol 1.2L NA
1.5 liter Hibrid

Enjin petrol 1.2 liter NA empat silider yang diberi kod 3NR-FKE itu menghasilkan 92 HP dan 109 Nm tork maksimum serta dipadankan bersama transmisi automatik Super CVT-i.

Enjin hibrid 1.5L tiga silinder yang diberi kod M15A-FXE pula mungkin enjin sama yang dipasang dalam Toyota Aqua (Yaris versi Jepun) yang menghasilkan 91 HP dan 120 Nm tork. Motor elektrik pula memberikan output sebanyak 80 HP dan 141 Nm tork.

Enjin hibrid itu dipilih kerana sesuai dengan insentif kenderaan dengan teknologi elektrifikasi yang diberikan oleh kerajaan Thailand pada masa ini.

Walau bagaimanapun, bagi pasaran lain seperti Malaysia, Vios dijangka akan kekal ditawarkan dengan enjin petrol penuh 1.5L empat-silinder NA yang menghasilkan 105 HP dan 140 Nm tork berbanding enjin 1.2L. Varian hibrid juga tidak mustahil bakal diperkenalkan oleh UMW Toyota kelak.

*Kredit foto: TopGear Philippines

Ciri Keselamatan

Vios baharu ini dijangka dilengkapi dengan bantuan pemanduan dan sistem keselamatan seperti:

Sistem brek anti-kunci ABS
Sistem pengagihan daya brek EBD
Sistem bantuan brek BA
Kawalan Kestabilan Kenderaan VSC
Sistem Kawalan Traksi Anti-gelincir
Kawalan Bantuan Bukit
Sistem amaran perlanggaran hadapan
Sistem amaran Bantuan Keluar Lorong
7 beg udara (bahagian hadapan, tirai, lutut)

Vios generasi baharu ini dibina berasaskan platform Daihatsu New Global Architecture (DNGA) yang merupakan platform yang sama digunakan pada:

Toyota Avanza/Veloz
Daihatsu Xenia
Perodua Ativa
Daihatsu Rocky
Toyota Raize

Jika Yaris Ativ ini dilancarkan di Thailand pada Ogos tahun ini, agak-agak bila pasaran Malaysia akan menerima model berkenaan sebagai All-New Vios 2023?

 

 

Wuling Motors unveiled its third and latest micro EV model, the Wuling Air EV, in Jakarta, Indonesia, earlier this month. For the Indonesian market, the Wuling Air EV will be simply called Wuling EV as it will be the brand’s first electric car to be sold outside of China (thanks to the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture).

The Wuling EV will begin its sales in Indonesia sometime in Q3 this year where it will also be assembled at the Cikarang factory in West Java. Wuling has been making its EVs in Indonesia since 2015 and considering that the Air EV has been chosen as the official car partner for the 2022 G20 Summit that’s going to be held in Bali in November, we’re guessing that it’s indeed the correct strategy at the right time.

*Image credit: Wuling Indonesia

Wuling EV sold in Indonesia

Based on the Global Small Electric Vehicle (GSEV) platform, the Air EV shares its platform with other Wuling EV models, but it has adopted the brand’s new design language. Measuring 2,972 mm in length, 1,506 mm in width, and 1,630 mm in height, these dimensions are for the four-seater version, and there will be a two-seater model as well for the Chinese market with a shorter wheelbase.

Not much else can be said about this tiny EV apart from it having a 40hp electric motor powering the front wheels and paired to a lithium iron phosphate battery pack with no details of its capacity. They did, however, state that the 860kg cutey can hit 100km/h top speed with a range of up to 300km per charge.

*Image credit: Wuling Indonesia

No mention of prices either for the Indonesian market, but sources have indicated that once the model goes on sale in China in Q3, it’ll be priced from 55,000-65,000 yuan (around RM36,193-RM42,774 after direct conversion).

Dana yang dimiliki kerajaan ketika ini masih mencukupi untuk meneruskan subsidi bahan api kepada rakyat Malaysia meskipun harga minyak mentah dunia sedang meningkat.

Kenyataan tersebut dibuat oleh Menteri Kewangan, Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz yang mengesahkan bahawa wang yang ada ketika ini cukup untuk terus menyokong rakyat dari segi melindungi mata pencarian mereka, terutama golongan rentan.

Tambah Zafrul, sasaran inflasi kerajaan tahun ini masih lagi dalam jajaran yang dinyatakan seperti sebelum ini, iaitu 2.3% dan 3.3%.

Subsidi Bersasar Mungkin Dilaksanakan

Menurut Zafrul, kerajaan akan terus memantau harga minyak dunia untuk melihat pelan jangka panjang, termasuk pelaksanaan subsidi minyak bersasar.

“Amaun subsidi untuk tahun ini dijangka mencecah RM70 bilion, bermakna subsidi bahan api akan mencecah RM30 bilion. Kita membuat unjuran berasaskan kepada harga minyak Brent bulan Mei, dan subsidi bahan api telah mencecah RM5 bilion sebulan,” katanya.

Buat masa ini, Zafrul mengesahkan bahawa kerajaan akan meneruskan subsidi sedia ada memandangkan kerajaan masih mampu untuk membantu rakyat.

*Kredit foto: NST

Dividen Tambahan Petronas Tidak Diperlukan

Menteri Kewangan itu turut berkata buat masa ini, kerajaan tidak berhasrat untuk meminta dividen tambahan daripada Petronas untuk menanggung subsidi minyak yang sedang diberikan.

“Kita akan melihat semua pilihan. Daripada hasil kerajaan, ia semakin meningkat kerana hasil kita juga bergantung kepada harga komoditi,” jelasnya.

Meskipun syarikat seperti Petronas mengumumkan kedudukan kewangan mereka yang kukuh, namun kerajaan masih belum berbincang untuk meminta lebih banyak dividen daripada Petronas.

“Hasil kerajaan juga meningkat walaupun kenaikannya tidak setinggi peningkatan subsidi. Kita akan terus memantau kerana ia bukan hanya fenomena di Malaysia sahaja tetapi juga di seluruh dunia,” katanya.

The Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has been a very hot topic as of late, and it just got hotter with the war of words between the Railwaymen’s Union of Malaya (RUM) President, Abdul Razak Md Hassan, and Malaysia’s Transport Minister, Wee Ka Siong.

RUM claimed that the reason behind KTMB’s poor service was due to the train sets obtained by the ministry through direct negotiations. Abdul Razak added that the 10 sets of Electric Train Service (ETS) procured directly from China were of poor quality. In other words, RUM is pointing the finger at the transport ministry over KTM’s poor service.

KTM poor service due to poor quality train sets?

*Image credit: KTMB

Wee Ka Siong later slammed RUM over its ‘wild accusations’ and replied by stating that the train set procurements made by the ministry were carefully and meticulously carried out via a stringent process plus being overseen by a committee.

It’s a whole back and forth thing between these two parties, with Abdul Razak having the last word by stating that open tenders for train set purchases should be the way to go as the selection would take into account multiple factors such as quality and price.

*Image credit: KTMB

What is the solution, Dear KTMB?

The public has been very vocal as of late regarding KTMB’s train frequencies and delayed trips, which led to them being the less popular choice of public transport. The union explained that apart from the faulty trains, it was also due to the Klang Valley Dual Tracking project (KVDT2) Phase 2 being postponed.

At the end of the day, these are the issues that are being faced by KTMB, and it seems that the transport ministry is already aware of the causes/problems that led to these issues. The next set of questions would be, who will fix these issues, and when will it be done?

In an unprecedented move, the Federation of Motor and Credit Companies Associations of Malaysia (FMCCAM) is proposing that JPJ considers reducing the road tax for older vehicles. 

This came about during FMCCAM’s annual general meeting as reported by The Star. 

The proposal is as follows:

75% discount for vehicles that are more than 15 years old
50% discount for vehicles that are more than 10 years old
25% discount for vehicles that are five years old

This idea was presented by FMCCAM’s president Datuk Tony Khor to Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong. 

“On the proposal to reduce road tax for cars that are more than 10 years old, the matter must be looked at holistically to ensure the outcome will benefit the majority,” Wee said. 

Cheaper road tax for older vehicles?

While there were no commitments or timelines put in place by our MOT, the fact that an idea has been planted and might take fruit perhaps is a reason for some cautious optimism. 

By the way, we hope you’ve moved towards renewing your road tax online, I mean do you really want to line up and wait. Here’s a handy guide if it’s that time again. 

At present, there is no reduction of road taxes for older cars that are kept on the road. Many of these cars have been lovingly restored, given a second breath of life instead of ending up in a scrapyard. It is high time we make some concessions for the classics that we see plying our streets. 

This road tax reduction if does come to fruition will benefit many of the older high engine displacement models that are painstakingly kept on the road by dedicated owners. 

Classic/ vintage car road tax Malaysia 

Of course, you could go the route of applying for a vintage/ classic road tax for your classic rides but that option is tedious and challenging, not to mention it only applies to cars 25 years and older. 

If you’re wondering how to go about applying for a vintage/ classic road tax, we’ve covered the A-Z here. 

Does the Malaysian road tax system need an overhaul, a rethink? Let us know what you think, and if you’re thinking of transitioning into an EV anytime soon, here’s an article on EV road tax that will interest you.

Of course, for now, EVs are enjoying ZERO road tax until 2025. We are hopeful that in this window a more comprehensive, streamlined system for EV road tax will emerge.