KUALA LUMPUR: There is a suggestion for Cyberjaya to be revived as the testbed for new inventions, including flying cars, said Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Yusof.
According to him, the suggestion was made in the National Development Council and the idea received support from Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
“Dr Mahathir said ‘go ahead but who will use it?’ and I said I will fly it myself. I then jokingly said I would not fly it more than 10 to 15 feet above the ground so that even if I fall, I won’t die.
“And the next day, I spoke about flying cars which people made jokes about.
“If there is anyone who wants to invent flying cars, I now have space for them to conduct tests,” he told the New Straits Times recently.
Malaysians have made fun of the “flying car” project on social media, with some asking if the model was made from KDK fans, and others expressing scepticism.
However, Aerodyne CEO Kamarul Muhamed previously said that a working prototype of the air mobility vehicle was expected to be ready by year-end, adding that it would cost about RM500,000.
Aerodyne is a global player in the drone services industry and is ranked seventh internationally by the Drone Industry Insights.
The flying car subject also saw several opposition Members of Parliament teasing Redzuan after he tried to explain the technology when winding up his ministerial reply on the Royal Address in the Dewan Rakyat sitting in March.
Asked on the update of the flying car prototype, the Alor Gajah MP said it has now seen 75 per cent completion but the photo could not be disclosed to the public as his ministry must respect the Japanese company’s proprietary.
“When I went to Japan last year, I asked one of their ministers on what they will showcase during the Osaka World Expo 2025 and they said they are creating a manmade island to showcase their technology.
“He said one of the highlights is to showcase Internet of Things... not about research but about commercialisation.
“One of them is (the) flying taxi where I foresee they will fly people from the Osaka Airport to the manmade island by ferrying people using the flying taxi.
“You see, when we are still debating flying cars or making jokes about it, other countries have already moved towards the future,” he said.