PETALING JAYA: The unity government has brought in many investments into Kedah, including plans by South Korea's Hyundai Motor Company to increase its investment in Kulim, says Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Writing on X, formerly Twitter, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister said the government has never sabotaged investments in Kedah.
"In fact, we have brought many investments into the state.
"Recently, following a meeting with the Prime Minister in South Korea, Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) has announced an additional investment of RM2.16bil in Kulim, Kedah.
"HMC plans to carry out local vehicle assembly, including EV models, in Kulim, Kedah. Additionally, the company will produce premium and luxury models targeted at the Asean market. Production is expected to begin by mid-2025," he said on Wednesday (Nov 26).
He was responding to a statement by Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor alleging there was a plot to thwart private investments in the state.
Sanusi had claimed that companies investing in Kedah face pressure to withdraw from announced projects, referring to the decision by the global investment leader, Bin Zayed International Group of Companies (BZI), to pull out of the RM40bil Langkasuka project in Langkawi, although he did not disclose details.
Tengku Zafrul said the collaboration with HMC also included the expansion of the local EV ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on innovative EV battery technology.
"Hyundai’s additional investment will strengthen Malaysia's role as a regional automotive hub in line with the New Industrial Master Plan (#NIMP2030).
"Hyundai’s commitment will also create hundreds of high-skilled jobs for Malaysians and generate additional employment opportunities for small and medium enterprises supporting their operations," he said.
