August 8th – In response to rumors that Tesla may abandon plans to establish an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Investment, Trade, and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul replied, “You should ask Tesla about that. I don’t work for Tesla.”
According to a report by Free Malaysia Today, when reporters pressed for an official statement on the matter, he simply responded, “Thank you.”
This follows a report from Thailand’s The Nation yesterday, which cited sources within the Thai government claiming that Tesla had canceled its plans to establish EV manufacturing plants in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia.
The source mentioned that Tesla is currently only discussing charging stations and has halted all global plans for new factories. Aside from China, the U.S., and Germany, Tesla will not proceed with factory plans in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, or any other locations.
The report also noted that Tesla had previously disbanded an executive team that visited Thailand between November and December last year.
