28-7-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has credited the country’s unity government for electric car maker Tesla’s decision to establish its Malaysian headquarters in the country. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Federal Land Development Authority carnival, Mr Anwar said that when the unity government was formed, it brought political stability, which encouraged investors and businesses to come. He also revealed that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, had reached out to him for a meeting. Mr Anwar said that Tesla’s opening of its headquarters in Cyberjaya, Selangor, would create thousands of job opportunities for the younger generation.
However, Mr Anwar’s claim of political stability was contradicted by former Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who criticised the unity government as “hopeless” and “fragile.” The two following administrations following the fall of the Pakatan Harapan government in 2020 lasted only 17 and 15 months. Despite this, Mr Anwar remains optimistic about the country’s political climate and its ability to attract foreign investors.
Tesla officially launched in Malaysia on July 20, with its Model Y car available for order in the country. The first delivery of the car is expected to be early next year, priced from RM199,000 (US$44,000). In June, Tesla held a walk-in recruitment day in Selangor for several positions.
