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Putrajaya MRT Line Phase 2 to start in March 2023

The Putrajaya MRT Line will have its Phase 2 up and running by March 2023, according to Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd.

What they’ve also stated is that the 38.7km section under the Phase 2 development has been completed which runs from the Kampung Batu station all the way to Putrajaya Sentral. Now, it’s just the completion of the rest of the parts involved to make it fully operational in three months’ time.

15 elevated & nine underground stations to be added

Phase 2 of the Putrajaya MRT Line will consist of 15 elevated stations as well as nine underground stations. This will be added to the current 11 elevated stations under the Phase 1 line-up which runs from Kwasa Damansara to Kampung Baru.

Once Phase 2 is up and running by March of next year, passengers on board the Putrajaya MRT Line can transfer onto other existing rail lines at 10 different stations, which include:

Kwasa Damansara (Kajang MRT Line)
Sungai Buloh (KTM)
Sri Damansara Timur (KTM)
Kampung Batu (KTM)
Titiwangsa (Ampang & Sri Petaling LRT Lines, KL Monorail)
Ampang Park (Kelana Jaya LRT Line)
Tun Razak Exchange (Kajang MRT Line)
Chan Sow Lin (Ampang & Sri Petaling LRT Lines)
Sungai Besi (Sri Petaling LRT Line)
Putrajaya Sentral (ERL & KLIA Transit Lines)

Once everything is completed, Phase 1 and Phase 2 will have a combined section that covers a total of 57.7km and 36 different stations. For those who are worried about parking, the Putrajaya MRT Line will also prepare close to 6,000 parking bays for fellow commuters.

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What’s this? A Nissan Z SUV?

Nissan Z SUV revealed and will be presented at the upcoming 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon.

With SUVs taking over the world, it’s no surprise that more and more iconic nameplates are being conceptualised as a high-riding vehicle.

The latest iconic nameplate to receive the SUV treatment is the Nissan Z, and the creation will be presented next month at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon.

However, the Nissan Z SUV is not technically built by Nissan, as it was created by students of Nissan’s Automobile Technical College, Japan.

The concept is called the Nissan Fairlady X, and it was built by students who are learning how to repair crash damage and modify cars. According to Motorauthority, the Z SUV concept is based on Nissan’s 2nd-gen Murano which debuted in 2009, and integrates design elements borrowed from the latest 2023 Z sports car.

The Nissan Murano was chosen as the base of the project due to having similar width to the new Z, and the students have done a pretty good job of integrating the Z’s styling with the Murano’s SUV, including the challenge of reducing panel gaps to a factory-like level.

Nissan’s technical college, which helps educate the next generation of automotive talents, has five campuses, and the Aichi and Kyoto campuses were primarily responsible for the Fairlady X project. According to Motorauthority, the students from the two campuses also built a Serena minivan with styling based on the Cedric sedan.

 

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The targeted fuel subsidy study nearly complete, mechanism to be presented to PM soon – based on horsepower?

Road Transport Department (RTD) is one of the elements that the government will use in identifying targeted subsidy recipients.

It seems that the study for the targeted fuel subsidy programme is not losing any steam anytime soon as Minister of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub has come out and said that they are almost complete with their study, which they will forward to the Prime Minister soon.

According to Bernama, the database from the Road Transport Department (RTD) is one of the elements that the government will use in identifying targeted subsidy recipients involving petrol.

Salahuddin Ayub said the ministry had discussed the matter with the Ministry of Finance, Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli and RTD.

“So in terms of the data (targeted subsidy), it is almost complete for us to forward it to the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) on how we can implement this targeted subsidy,” he told reporters after visiting the People’s Housing Project ( PPR) Melana Indah on Christmas Eve.

Salahuddin Ayub also gave an example, where he said that JPJ’s database can also be used for RON95 petrol subsidies, as the government can identify those who are eligible to receive it based on the horsepower of the vehicle they own.

He also added that the proposed targeted subsidies programme had been presented during the meeting of the National Action Council on Cost of Living (NACCOL) chaired by the Prime Minister last Tuesday, but the PM wants to continue with the existing policy, for now, to not burden the people.

“The Prime Minister has given instructions for the matter (targeted subsidy mechanism) to be studied. But for the time being, the government is still continuing the existing policy, which is that we do not withdraw (subsidies) or increase any tariffs that we feel could burden the people.

With promises to help lower the cost of living by Prime Minister, it’s hard to see the targeted fuel subsidy programme taking off anytime soon, but we can never say never as it has been talked about for a long time.

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Five-superbike incident at Karak highway – only 1 rider had licence?

The story of five superbikes that got into an accident yesterday at the Karak Expressway has gone viral.

Videos and photos have circulated on various social media platforms portraying the aftermath of the incident but unofficial information about the riders involved has allegedly popped up as well. It seems that out of the five riders, only one was riding with the full B licence (for motorcycles 250cc and above).

No full B licence for the other four involved

Unofficial information that has travelled across several social media platforms stated that three BMW S 1000 RR and two Honda CBR1000RR bikes were ridden by five individuals aged between 35-58 years old and only the oldest in the group had the proper licence to ride the superbike.

Three of them were equipped with either a B2 or D driving licence and one didn’t have any license registered under his name. The incident which took place at KM26.4 on the Karak highway from Genting heading towards Gombak was said to be a chain reaction when the bike at the very front lost control trying to avoid a car that was reported to suddenly entered the lane he was riding on.

Unknown car suddenly entered the bikers’ lane was the cause?

The other four who we assume were riding quite closely tried to evade the fallen rider but to no avail. Multiple injuries were reported and two of them are currently being treated in the red zone of the Selayang Hospital, including severe burn marks from one of the bikes that caught on fire following the crash.

One of the videos also showed the group of riders riding before the incident happened but at what seemed to be non-extreme speeds. A report by The Star also stated that Gombak OCPD Asst Comm Zainal Mohamed Mohamed informed the media that the incident was triggered by an unknown car that allegedly entered the lane the bikers were on suddenly, which caused the unfortunate chain reaction.

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The Amended Road Transport Act of 1987 will penalise not only motorcycle owners but the parents and the workshops too!

Harsher punishments are set to be in place for those who tinker with their motorcycles as the Transport Ministry aims to clamp down on illegal motorcycle racing and modifications.

The Road Transport Act of 1987 is about to change and be amended to increase the punishment for offences involving the modification of motorcycle engines and exhaust pipes from RM300 to RM10,000.

Those who are found guilty may even get some jail time too, on top of the new hefty fine.

According to News Straits Times, it doesn’t stop there either, as the proposed amendments also seek to penalise irresponsible parents who allow their children to modify their motorcycles for illegal racing and workshop owners who carry out the task

As reported by NST, Transport Ministry secretary-general Datuk Isham Ishak said the proposed amendments were in the “good regulatory practice” (GRP) stage, which involves engagements and consultations with stakeholders.

“It is necessary to raise the fines because many youngsters blatantly break the law and join motorcycle races nowadays. They can afford to pay the RM300 fine and that is why we propose to push the penalty to RM10,000 to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal racing.”

Datuk Isham Ishak expects the proposed amendment to be tabled in Parliament in the third quarter of next year. He thinks that illegal racing should be defined more broadly to include modifying exhausts and engines.

In a period of 10 years, deaths involving motorcycle riders and passengers accounted for 60% of the total number of deaths that occurred as a result of road accidents.

Therefore, he added, raising fines, coupled with effective enforcement, is the best way to educate road users, especially illegal riders.

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Elon Musk ABANDONED Tesla – KoGuan Leo

Some strong words have popped up regarding the infamous Elon Musk and his current position as the CEO of Tesla.

KoGuan Leo, the third-largest individual shareholder in Tesla and also an Indonesian multi-billionaire has taken to Twitter (oh, the irony) to ‘vent out’ his ‘frustrations’ regarding the current state of Tesla as well as its current CEO, Elon Musk.

Tesla has no working CEO?

Elon abandoned Tesla and Tesla has no working CEO

Tesla needs and deserves to have working full time CEO

What Tesla BOD should do, do nothing? Elon will find his own successor under BOD independent supervision https://t.co/AJSvij9ncP

— KoGuan Leo (@KoguanLeo) December 14, 2022

While it is true that Elon Musk has been particularly busy since his acquisition of Twitter, it seems that his latest endeavours and antics have affected Tesla in a way that according to Reuters has stated: “frustrating investors as the company’s shares wallow at over two-year lows”.

Musk apparently disclosed another $3.6 billion in stock sales just last week on top of the $40 billion+ deal he used to take buy off Twitter. Meanwhile, the introduction of big discounts on Tesla models in the US last week also saw Tesla stocks dropping a further 9%, which has caused concerns for the company’s investors, including KoGuan Leo.

Elon Musk to find his own Tesla successor?

*Image credit: Electrek

KoGuan Leo’s Tweet stated that the company’s board of directors should ‘supervise’ Elon Musk in finding a successor for his CEO position at Tesla. A reply by Leo to one of Tweet’s comments states a further explanation on his Tweet, which goes:

“I am multi-billionaire before I invested in Tesla, will continue to be if Tesla goes to zero. I plan to invest more bc Tesla will be the biggest company with or without Elon. As his fanboy, I invested bc of Elon. Of course, I prefer Elon to be CEO but he abandoned Tesla.”

There might be a chance that Tesla’s BOD might order a buyback on the shares that Elon Musk has sold off. One of KoGuan Leo’s latest Tweets stated that he has raised $500 million to buy an additional 3 million Tesla shares as planned.

In the meantime, Musk himself has stated that he’s open to the idea of finding a CEO for Twitter after Tweeting “I will resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job! After that, I will just run the software & servers teams.” Who knows, perhaps he’ll come around to save his beloved tech company.

 

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The Ford Mustang Mach-E EV has arrived in Malaysia

The Ford Mustang Mach-E has arrived in Malaysia and is up for grabs – well, sort of.

If you want to buy an EV but want to be different from those who have bought Teslas, BMW iXs and Porsche Taycans, why not check out the Ford Mustang Mach-E, which is now available in Malaysia.

It seems that Facebook user Raja Shah Redza, whose page is predominately used as a sales platform, is promoting a couple of Ford Mustang Mach-E (one in grey with the other being in maroon), pictured in what seems to be on a Malaysian showroom floor.

The American EV is probably one of the first Ford Mustang Mach-E to reach our shores, which explains why there is currently no price just yet for the popular American electric vehicle. We’re not quite sure which variants they are, as the fully electrified Mustang comes in a few configurations. 

Although the EV carries the iconic Mustang name, in EV form at least, the Mustang is an all-electric SUV. It is available with standard (75.7 kWh) and extended-range (98.8 kWh) battery options with either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive configurations that are powered by permanent magnet motors, with a range of at least 482 km. 

In extended-range all-wheel-drive configurations, the Mach-E puts out 332 hp and 565 Nm of torque, and sprints from 0 – 100 much quicker than the base Porsche Macan.

Although there are no pictures of the interior, the Ford Mustang Mach-E should be equipped with a 15.5-inch portrait infotainment screen with a simple interface which ditches complicated menus, making it easier to access features with touch, swipe and pinch controls that every smartphone owner will be comfortable using.

Using Ford’s new all-electric architecture that places batteries inside the underbody, Ford engineers and designers were able to create a vehicle that’s not only true to Mustang but also maximizes SUV space for five passengers and cargo.

Design wise, the Mustang Mach-E comes with signature Mustang elements such as its long, powerful hood, rear haunch design, aggressive headlights, and trademark tri-bar taillamps.

Getting in and starting the vehicle is a hoot, as the EV features easy and effortless “Phone As A Key” technology, which made its debut in the Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Using Bluetooth, the vehicle can detect customers’ smartphones as they approach, unlocking the Mach-E and allowing them to start driving without getting their phones out of their pockets or using a key fob.

To find out more about the imported Ford Mustang Mach-E, click here.

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Valentino Rossi joins BMW M Motorsport Works family

Valentino Rossi has inked a deal to become the latest family member of the BMW M Motorsport Works fraternity.

The nine-time MotoGP world champion is now gearing up to become a part of the BMW M works driver line-up for the 2023 season and will once again step into the four-wheel arena and this time, it’ll be in a BMW M4 GT3.

21st member of the BMW M Works team

The high-profile Italian MotoGP legend will be competing in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS and Bathurst 12 Hour come 2023. Additionally, Rossi will also ‘be available for further race and test appearances in BMW M Motorsport racing cars’.

According to Andreas Roos, Head of BMW M Motorsport, “Valentino has proved that he is also an excellent racer on four wheels. He has shown that car racing has become his second motorsport home, and he brings all his passion, skills, and commitment to this new chapter of his career.”

Rossi to partner up with Maxime Martin & Augusto Farfus

As for the main man himself, Rossi commented, “I am very proud to become an official BMW M works driver and it is a great opportunity. Last year I started racing seriously in cars and I finished my first season with the WRT team with whom I got on very well and I am very happy that the WRT team chose BMW M Motorsport as a new partner.”

I have already had a chance to test the BMW M4 GT3 twice and the feeling with the car is very good. I think we could be competitive next season. Also, BMW M Motorsport has given me the opportunity to race with two very strong drivers next year, Maxime Martin and Augusto Farfus. I still have a lot to learn and improve, but I hope to be up to the task and fast enough to fight during the race weekends,” added Rossi.

 

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SEA’s longest cross-country EV charging network is now operational

The Shell Recharge high-performance charging (HPC) network for charging EVs is now complete from Singapore to Thailand.

This also marks the longest cross-country EV charging network between Malaysia and our neighbouring countries thanks to the collaboration between Shell Malaysia and Porsche Asia Pacific.

Seamless EV charging connectivity

The Shell Recharge HPC EV charging network started out at the station located in Tangkak, Johor earlier this year. Just before the year ends, the network now consists of six Shell Recharge HPC sites here in Malaysia which can be found at the locations throughout the North-South Expressway (NSE) stated below:

Shell Hentian Tangkak Lay-By (South Bound)
Shell Hentian Pagoh Rest Area (North Bound)
Shell Hentian RTC Simpang Pulai (North Bound)
Shell Hentian Tapah RSA NSE (South Bound)
Shell Hentian Seremban R&R NSE (North Bound)
Shell Hentian Seremban R&R NSE (South Bound)

Located less than 200km between the stations, the network now enables EV owners to explore more without having to go through that dreaded range anxiety. Charging times are also kept low thanks to 180kW DC fast chargers equipped at the Shell Recharge HPC stations.

Reserve charging bay slots using the ParkEasy app

The HPC charging bays can also be reserved via Shell’s ParkEasy app. This will allow EV owners to book the bay for charging up to 60 minutes in advance to ensure that the charging bay is ready and waiting for you once you arrive at your selected HPC charging station.

Other features include navigation as well as other necessities offered by Shell at their petrol stations. With all of these stations now operational, travelling across the country and even to Singapore or Thailand should be a more pleasant experience for EV owners.

 

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Ford revealed some figures to show that EVs can actually save you money and help save the planet

Ford has unveiled some figures to show that EVs can actually save you money and help reduce gas emissions.

It seems that Ford is starting to get fed up with the notion that EVs are just as evil as their fuel-powered counterparts, which is why they have unveiled some information to show that their EVs can actually save you some money as well as how they can help reduce harmful emissions.

According to Electrek, an American news website dedicated to electric transportation and sustainable energy, Ford has recently revealed how much money an owner of one of its EVs can save over the life of the vehicle as well as how much they can help reduce CO2 emissions over the same period of time.

Anti-EV people have always argued that electric vehicles create more emissions than fuel-powered cars during their production, and while that is true, they can quickly be offset by the lack of emissions during use.

According to a recent article published by Electrek, Ford has come out and said that if you drive an electric car and use the US electrical grid to charge it, you can reduce C02 emissions by as much as 60% when compared to a similar ICE vehicle. The larger the vehicle, the greater the savings over time, they said.

For fuel savings, Ford found out that owners of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck can save more than $27.2K(RM120k) throughout the lifetime of the vehicle. This is based on current fuel prices and compared to a similar fuel-powered F-150. In addition, Mustang Mach-E owners can save nearly $15,000(RM66k), and yes, while it is not as much as the F-150, it is still some decent savings.

While these figures are somewhat respectable, only those who care about nature will buy into the emission decrease, but we think the savings from fuel cost is where most people will take notice.

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