Why Malaysia’s first homegrown EV matters

Bold innovation: Zainal (second from left) with (from left) former Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Anwar, and Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin at the Perodua QV-E launch. Zainal deserves applause for starting from scratch in developing the vehicle billed as the first 100% Malaysian EV. — Filepic

IN Robert Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken, a traveller stands at a fork in the woods, contemplating two diverging paths. One is worn smooth by countless footsteps; the other, grassy and wanting wear. The traveller chooses the latter, and that has made all the difference, he tells the reader.

On Monday, Malaysia witnessed its own crossroads moment. Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim unveiled the Perodua QV-E, billed as the first 100% Malaysian EV – a car that exists because one man decided the easy path was not worth taking.