The automotive industry plays a significant role in transforming Malaysia into an industrialised nation, which translate into high-value economic activities, improving standards of living as well as creating higher-paying jobs. The sector creates an important impact on the development of upstream industries, such as steel and chemicals, as well as downstream industries, including IT and maintenance services.
The National Automotive Policy (NAP) was first introduced in 2006 under the Third Industrial Masterplan (IMP3) 2006-2020 to transform the automotive industry as one of the important components of our economy, It outlined key direction and strategies in preparing the local automotive players towards a more competitive and sustainable automotive industry. In 2009, the second version of the policy was introduced, to focus on enhancing the capabilities of the domestic automotive industry and create a more conducive environment for investments.