CAR DUTY EXEMPTION GOOD FOR ENVIRONMENT - SOCIAL ACTIVIST

KUCHING (Malaysia), March 23 (Bernama) -- The two-year exemption of import
and excise duties levied on all imported hybrid cars below 2000 cc starting this
year is a welcome move in tackling environmental pollution, social activist Ang
Lai Soon said Sunday.

He said given the increasingly salient threat of global warning, a graded
system of licence costs based on engine power could also encourage the use of
smaller, more environmental and fuel-friendly cars besides discouraging the use
of unnecessarily large, high fuel consumption cars.

"I have no doubt the government is also considering the merits of other ways
to improve the situation, especially as widespread use of hybrid
or electric vehicles is still some years away," said Ang.

He was happy to note that Proton, the nation's car manufacturer, was
developing a petrol-electric hybrid car and Honda Malaysia was reducing the
price of its Civic hybrid.


-- BERNAMA