PM Ismail invites Tesla to invest in Malaysia, while Musk enjoys Kopiko in Indonesia

As Elon Musk began new talks with the Indonesian government on setting up a Tesla battery hub in the archipelago (and enjoying Kopiko sweets), Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob is trying to attract American investors into Malaysia in Washington DC.

The PM is welcoming companies especially those listed in the Fortune 500 to invest or increase their investments in the digital sectors of the economy including green technology and electric vehicles (EV).

He told Malaysian reporters that among the names suggested was Tesla following a meeting with Ted Osius, President and CEO of the United States-ASEAN Business Council (US-ABC) on Wednesday, 11-May 2022.

In other words, the PM did not speak to anyone from Tesla, let alone a representative but with a trade group instead.

Also read: Adham Baba: EVs can drive Malaysia to be a high-income nation by 2030

Ismail Sabri is on a 4-day working visit to the US to meet President Joe Biden and ASEAN leaders. US-ABC regards Malaysia as an important trading partner of the United States, said the Prime Minister.

While the country tries to drum up EV investors from the land of capitalists freedom, EV adoption rates are still low in Malaysia. Most that are currently on sale are out of reach to the average buyer which is also similar in most ASEAN markets. Still, could Malaysia prove to be enticing for Musk? Perhaps a few bags of Super Rings would be enough to convince the overlord owner of Twitter.

Also read: MAA: Only 10 EVs sold in Malaysia in Jan 2022 while Indonesia sold 3x more