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Minister says unsure what happened to RM20m given to third national car company

Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar says he did not know what has happened with the funds allocated to develop a third national car. — Bernama pic
Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar says he did not know what has happened with the funds allocated to develop a third national car. — Bernama pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 5 ― Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar told Parliament today that he did not personally know the status of RM20 million previously allocated to develop a third national carmaker.

The funds were initially presented as going towards an aerial mobility project initially called a “flying car” but the government later clarified that it went instead towards the development of a national car.

“I also can't tell you what has happened with the funds, because if it has been allocated, I am confident that the ministry would have utilised it and monitor its progress.

“I can only tell you what I know. So if any one of you (MPs) know (about it), thank you,” the entrepreneur development minister told the Parliament today during the question and answer time.

However, he said he encouraged using government funds to develop the industry that he asserted received RM115 billion in investments globally.

In November, during the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration, the Entrepreneur Development Ministry has denied that RM20 million allocated by the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) was for the super drone/air mobility project or “flying car” project developed by Aerodyne Group.

The ministry said this allocation was used to fund the innovation, research and development of the new national car project (NNCP), via DreamEDGE Sdn Bhd chosen as its anchor company and MIGHT leading it.

The ministry had then explained that the objective of the NNCP is to develop new technologies that conserve energy and utilise the hybrid system that the company has expertise to implement.

In June last year the “flying car” project was under investigation by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC).

The investigation was launched to find out if public money was used to fund the project.

* A previous version of the article incorrectly identified Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar as a deputy minister. The error has been corrected.

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