PANGKOR Island will get low-carbon emission vans instead of electric ones to replace the iconic pink vans, a Perak lawmaker told the assembly today.

State Infrastructure, Energy, Water and Public Transport Committee chairman Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin said the Perak Development Corporation through its subsidiary Majuperak Holdings Bhd found via a feasibility study that support for low-carbon emission vans is much higher than that for electric vans. 

“This project (proposal) is in its final stages before it is brought to the executive council for a decision and policy approval for changes and implementation,” he said during the sitting at Bangunan Perak Darul Ridzuan. 

Nizar was replying to a question from Norhaslinda Zakaria (Pangkor-PN) about the progress of the plan to replace taxis on Pangkor with electric vehicles, which was announced in June 2020 with an allocation of RM10 million.

Nizar said in July 2020, Putrajaya allocated RM12 million for a project to supply electric scooters and electric vans to promote Pangkor as a green and sustainable tourism island.

Of the amount, he said RM2 million was allocated for the supply of electric scooters and RM10 million for electric vans, but modifications were later made by the State Economic Planning Unit to use the entire amount for the supply of electric vans.

“Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir as the Pangkor assemblyman at the time proposed the conversion of electric vans to low-carbon emission vans during the First Meeting of the Fifth Year of the 14th Assembly of Perak Darul Ridzuan,” Nizar said. – Bernama, May 25, 2023.