Works Ministry Raises Land Acquisition Hurdles for EV Chargers

Deputy Public Works Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan recently chaired a meeting to address land acquisition challenges for sub-stations along highways. This marks a critical step in establishing Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) nationwide.

The meeting, attended by key stakeholders including EV Charging Industry Association (PIPEV), Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), Works Ministry (KKR), Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and PLUS, underscored the urgency of expanding Malaysia’s EV charging infrastructure.

In a social media sharing by EV Connection’s MD, Lee Yuen How, he stated that Datuk Ahmad Maslan emphasized the need for immediate action, stating, “Kita kena ada keputusan hari ini” (We must make a decision today). This proactive stance reflects the growing importance of robust EV infrastructure to support Malaysia’s EV adoption drive.

According to sources who were present in the meeting, key outcomes from the meeting include commitments to address land acquisition hurdles, particularly around state-to-federal land transfers, to expedite the deployment of EV chargers.

List of EV Charger on Malaysian Highway network (Source: MyEVOC FB)

While specific details remain confidential pending the official meeting minutes release, sources confirmed there was progress made in resolving these long-standing issues.

However, challenges persist. For instance, as ChargEV highlighted before that Charging Point Operators (CPOs) face a hefty RM300,000 contribution fee to establish compact substations, which remain under TNB ownership and become a shared infrastructure - adding complexity to cost recovery and resource allocation.

Additionally, as Malaysia accelerates its EV infrastructure rollout, bridging the gap between high-level decisions and ground-level implementation remains a pressing challenge. Effective communication, streamlined processes, and equitable cost-sharing models will be crucial to ensure a sustainable and scalable future for EV charging networks.

At Carz.com.my, we commend the momentum but urge all stakeholders to prioritize actionable solutions that translate planning into tangible results for EV users nationwide.