The so-called flying car refers to super drone in air mobility industry - MEDAC

Its minister, Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said he felt that there was a need for him to clarify the matter again as some parties were still not very satisfied with the answers given during the question and answer session in Parliament on the matter to avoid further misunderstandings.

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Wira Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (PH-Lumut) who wanted to know the development of the flying car project by the government.

"In fact, the drone and super drone industry in the context of air mobility has a high potential in the local and international markets in addition to the urban mobility industry that can be applied to other sectors.

"Air mobility is also equipped with the latest technology such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Mobility, and Internet of Things (IOT) which are now growing rapidly, especially internationally," he said in a statement today.

Wan Junaidi said the air mobility industry, as well as other high-tech industries are potential industries and are able to open opportunities in a new field of entrepreneurship that could be commercialised, especially at the international level.

In Malaysia, he said the industry is still led and fully funded by the private sector and does not involve any allocation from the government where MEDAC only serves as a facilitator to local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in its development.

He also responded to a question from Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (PN-Pasir Mas), who raised a statement issued by Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad (PN-Parit Sulong) (now Higher Education Minister) on Nov 28 last year when she was then Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, that the flying car project would receive an allocation of RM20 million from the government.

Wan Junaidi said the application for the RM20 million funding was not for the so-called flying car project, instead it was for research on the national car prototype.

"The RM20 million allocation application was originally discussed at the National Development Council for the prototype for a new national car project (NNCP).

"The council then approved an allocation of only RM8 million for the NNCP prototype channelled to Syarikat DreamEdge (Sdn Bhd) through the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) which was then under the ambit of the Prime Minister's Department," he said.

"However, I am confident that the ministry involved in channeling the fund will monitor the progress of the project and the status of the fiscal injection," he said.

He said MEDAC's current priority is not the drone or super drone project, but to pay special attention to the development of SME, micro and cooperative entrepreneurs affected by COVID-19, while striving to achieve the aspirations and goals outlined in the National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030.