Let's Talk About

Are cheap EVs really a bad idea? Following the MITI EV Policy issue, there's growing criticism around affordable electric vehicles coming into Malaysia, from claims of hidden costs and poor resale value to concerns that the country could become a dumping ground for foreign brands.In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex break down these arguments and separate fact from perception. Is resale value really that important, especially when Malaysians have long paid high prices for cars with limited features and technology?We also discuss what the government can do to support the transition, especially for businesses that rely heavily on diesel. From incentives to tax exemptions for electric commercial vehicles like lorries, pickups and vans, what's needed to move the industry forward?If EV adoption is to grow, the conversation needs to go beyond fear and focus on real solutions. #ev #miti #resalevalue

Malaysia's EV ambitions are under the spotlight after a week of policy uncertainty involving MITI and BYD. Reports of an 80% export condition and a RM200,000 minimum price for locally assembled EVs sparked backlash, with many accusing the government of protecting national brands.MITI has since clarified that the price floor is RM100K and that the policy does not target any specific brand. But the situation raises bigger questions — why does this issue seem to centre around BYD, and why hasn't the company responded?In this episode of Let's Talk About #140, Amin and Alex break down what's happening, what it means for EV affordability in Malaysia, and why clearer, long-term policies are critical to support both consumers and industry players.

Amin shares his real-world Raya balik kampung EV road trip from KL to Segamat and it almost turned into a disaster. Despite having chargers and no queues, issues like poor connectivity, glitchy nozzles, slow activation and app problems created unexpected challenges.In this episode of Let's Talk About, we break down what went wrong, why peak season demand exposes serious gaps, and what needs to change. From deploying temporary charging solutions during festive periods to building large-scale highway charging hubs every 100km, it's clear Malaysia needs to take EV infrastructure rollout more seriously.If we want EV adoption to grow, the focus must go beyond just selling cars. Malaysia needs stronger investments in expanding EV charging networks, grid upgrades and a long-term transition to renewables.

Are electric vehicles finally going mainstream in Malaysia?In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex discuss why Malaysians are still buying EVs despite no CBU tax incentives, new hybrid competition and questions about market maturity. Has the EV industry reached the mainstream stage, or are we still in the early adoption phase?We also share our observations during the Chinese New Year balik kampung season, including the EV charging situation on highways and whether the infrastructure is keeping up with the growing number of EVs on the road.Plus, we talk about the latest developments in Malaysia's EV industry. Perodua's QV-E EV is reportedly facing supply challenges, while several carmakers have announced plans to assemble EVs locally, and there are more CKD EV models launched in our local market.

Malaysia's EV adoption is rising rapidly, but so are complaints about EV charger hogging.From petrol cars blocking EV bays, to EV owners occupying charging spots without plugging in, and “pretend charging” just to secure free parking, the problem is becoming harder to ignore.As more Malaysians switch to EVs, charging etiquette and infrastructure readiness are being put to the test. Public EV chargers are still limited in many areas, and when bays are blocked or misused, it directly affects drivers who genuinely need to charge. In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex discuss why EV charger hogging is increasing, the types of hogging seen so far, whether this is an infrastructure issue or a behaviour issue. They also discuss how it impacts the #NoQueue narrative and long-distance travel. In addition, they also talk about what EV owners, property owners and authorities should be doing.Is this just growing pains in Malaysia's EV transition or a sign of deeper problems of Malaysian behaviour?

In previous Let's Talk About episodes, we highlighted the surge in EV registrations and the growing pressure on public chargers in Malaysia. From the lack of strategic fast-charging hubs along interstate routes to the ongoing challenges faced by high-rise residents, the gaps are becoming harder to ignore.At the same time, Perodua's first EV concept, the QV-E, has seen a lukewarm response so far. Factors such as its Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, positioning, and pricing have raised plenty of questions among viewers.In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex respond directly to comments from the last two episodes, share their latest thoughts on Perodua QV-E after ending the year with just 38 registrations, Malaysia's EV charging landscape, discuss what the future holds for the #NoQueue narrative and the rise of more affordable PHEVs.

Malaysia's EV adoption has seen tremendous growth last year with 44,813 units registered, but what happens next in 2026? In this episode of SoyaCincau Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex break down the state of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure as key incentives expire and existing challenges remain unaddressed.They discuss the uncertainty following the end of tax exemptions for imported (CBU) EVs in 2025, concerns that EV growth could slow or decline, and whether clearer long-term policies are needed to sustain momentum.Charging infrastructure is expanding, but real-world issues remain especially for EV owners living in high-rise buildings and apartments, where the lack of a “right to charge” continues to be a major barrier. They also examine why deploying EV chargers along highways remains complicated, with no clear mandate to ensure coordinated support from all relevant agencies.The conversation includes insights from charge point operators (CPOs) who continue to push ahead despite these hurdles, often deploying chargers through alternative means to meet growing demand.This episode breaks down what's working, what's not, and what needs to change next.

Perodua's first EV, the QV-E, has sparked one of the biggest debates of the year. Not because of the EV itself, but because the battery is not included. Instead, the Perodua QV-E comes with a battery-leasing model (Battery as a Service) that has left many Malaysians confused, divided and asking… what were they thinking?In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex break down everything you need to know about the QV-E controversy — how battery leasing works, why Perodua is doing it, what it means for pricing, and whether Malaysians are ready for this concept. We also discuss whether this move is actually beneficial or just simply complicated for consumers.

"EVs have to queue up to charge"—is this true? Our recent video showing ICE cars queuing up to refuel sparked a lot of reactions—some positive, some not so much.This has opened up an important discussion about the myths versus the reality of owning and using an EV in Malaysia:•⁠ ⁠Do EVs really take a long time to charge?•⁠ ⁠Do you actually have to queue for a charger?•⁠ ⁠Is Malaysia's EV infrastructure ready for everyone?In this podcast, we respond to viewer comments, share our experiences as EV users, and have an open conversation to set the record straight.What's your take on EVs? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more honest discussions about EVs in Malaysia."NOTE: This LTA episode was recorded on 2nd January 2025.

After over a year of waiting, Malaysia is finally getting a second 5G network to compete with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) as part of the country's transition from Single Wholesale Network (SWN) to Dual 5G network model. MCMC made a huge surprise on 1st November 2024 by announcing U Mobile, the smallest player among the three major telcos, to implement Malaysia's second 5G network. Is U Mobile the right candidate to build a new 5G network to compete with DNB? How was the selection made? Can MCMC ensure a healthy and sustainable dual 5G network environment with this decision? What would happen to DNB? Amin and Alex discuss on this episode of Let's Talk About. NOTE: This LTA episode was recorded on 8th November 2024

Amin and Alex are not huge fans of Tesla due to questionable design choices such as the lack of an instrument cluster, signal stalks and physical controls, including the gear selector. However, they recently had the opportunity to test the Tesla Model 3 Performance on the track and on a long-distance road trip. Did the Tesla Model 3 Performance impressed us? Would we consider this EV? Is a Performance EV just as fun as a petrol-powered performance car? We discuss on this episode of Let's Talk About.

When Tesla entered the Malaysian market, it disrupted the EV industry with its sub-RM200,000 starting price. Suddenly, all other EVs on the market look overpriced. Less than a year later, we now have the BYD Seal, which offers even more performance at an even lower price. The BYD Seal Performance is also Malaysia's cheapest car to offer more than 500hp and it can get from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds. In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex will discuss the BYD Seal, its pros and cons, and how it stacks up against the Tesla Model 3

Welcome to a brand new year, and this is our first Let's Talk About Episode for 2024. The biggest thing announced after the new year is PADU, the Central Database Hub, which aims to bring all data sources from various government agencies under one roof. Shortly after the launch of PADU, concerns were raised about the platform, which includes privacy, security and also how this data will be used. Is PADU mandatory? Should you submit your data to another government platform? Amin and Alex discuss this episode of Let's Talk About.Note: This LTA session was recorded on 11th January 2024. On 24th January 2024, PADU announced that it has "over 30 million" registrations and 1.6 million individuals have successfully updated their information.

When people talk about charging their electric vehicles, most people boast about the maximum DC charging power possible. The higher the kW number, the faster the battery gets topped up, or so logic dictates. But just because one car can hit a higher peak power figure than another doesn't mean it automatically wins out as there's something called the EV charging curve. In this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex discuss EV battery voltage (800V vs 400V) and how that affects the charging curve that ultimately determines how soon you can unplug your car and drive off.

Apple has finally unveiled the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro which will be available in Malaysia on 29 September. Besides USB-C, Apple has made some significant upgrades for both cameras and processors. Meanwhile, the Pro gets a new Titanium design which is lighter and has thinner bezels than before. With a RM200 price increase, are the iPhone 15 and iPhone Pro worthy upgrades if you need a new flagship smartphone? Amin and Alex discuss in this episode of Let's Talk About.

We have been talking a lot about EVs on our channel and the recent episode about Tesla Model Y arriving in Malaysia has gotten a lot of passionate comments. Some remarked that the episode "misses the mark" and it was all about bashing Tesla. We appreciate the feedback and here's our response to the comments for the video.

After Tesla made its debut in Malaysia, BYD launched the Dolphin, a new RM100K EV which is set to disrupt the RM100-130K segment in the auto industry. Being a compact hatchback, this affordable EV ticks pretty much all the right boxes including the advanced safety tech as well as interior space. Is the BYD Dolphin the best entry-level EV in Malaysia? And should you get this over other RM100K vehicles like the Honda WR-V, City Hatchback or the Proton X50? Amin and Alex discuss on this episode of Let's Talk About.

Tesla is officially launching in Malaysia. This will mark Tesla's third official market in South East Asia. Just days before the launch, they revealed the official pricing for the Tesla Model Y, which starts from an impressive RM199,000. While everyone is getting excited about a sub-RM200,000 EV with lots of performance, is Tesla's electric SUV as good as hyped? Amin and Alex discuss what's good and not so great about the Tesla Model Y.

Kia has expanded its electrical lineup in Malaysia with the recent launch of the Kia Niro EV. This will be Kia's second all-electric release since the launch of the Kia EV6 last year. Overall, the Kia Niro EV does tick some of the boxes based on design, specs, and features, however, the price for it is quite a drawback. Is it overpriced? Is there a better EV choice within this price range? In today's episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share their thoughts on the Kia Niro EV, especially, if they agree that this EV is overpriced.

During the WWDC 2023 event, Apple made a few announcements, but the biggest highlight was Apple's first-ever mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro. This headset is said to be the most advanced personal electronic device and it will be running on the world's first spatial operating system called visionOS. Since the announcement, there have been lots of hype about it, but the real question is, is it all that great? Or is it just another VR headset with an Apple tax? In today's episode of Let's Talk About, Alex tries to convince Amin about the Vision Pro and whether this device is a game changer for AR and VR.

When the Ora Good Cat was launched, it was known as the cheapest EV to get, but there's a new player in town, which is the Neta V. Priced at around RM100K, the Neta V is the cheapest EV in Malaysia. However, it lacks some crucial features that might make you think twice about getting one. In today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share their first impression of the Neta V and what cars you might consider getting under RM100K.

Proton has finally launched the all-new Proton X90, marking the company's first foray into the three-row SUV market. When the price of the X90 was announced, many Malaysians complained about it as it was considered overpriced. So, in today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex dig deep to find out if the Proton X90 is overpriced by breaking it down from the features and comparing it with its competitors.

This video is brought to you by H3C. Every day, more and more businesses are transitioning sections of their operations to a digital model. You might have noticed that the store you frequent now accepts cashless payments or your favourite restaurant now has an online menu and ordering system. However, many SMEs and small Mom-and-pop stores might be reluctant to digitalise their business as the idea of it can sound intimidating. But is the process of digitising your business as complicated as some make it out to be? Well, we talk to Rockies Ma, the General Manager of H3C Malaysia, a company that prides itself on being an industry leader in providing digital solutions and infrastructure, about the process of moving your business to a digital platform.

Touch n' Go is known as the sole contactless payment option for highway tolls and public transport in Malaysia. It has been a huge frustration point for the public from the lack of new Enhanced TNG cards, to the slow process of getting refunds and issues surrounding TNG RFID. Recently, the Prime Minister was asked about Touch n' Go's monopoly during an open dialogue. He promised to look into it as Touch 'n Go has been around for decades but there's not been significant progress in their system. In the past week, both Transport and Works Ministers announced that credit and debit card payments for public transport and highway tolls will be accepted soon. The dismantling of Touch 'n Go's monopoly is good news for consumers but it also raises big questions that have yet to be answered. Why are people so frustrated with Touch n' Go? Will credit and debit cards make things easier or will they create more problems? Why is Malaysia taking so long to implement MLFF for tolls? Amin and Alex discuss the issues on this episode of Let's Talk About.

A while back, a Kuching businessman lost RM1 million from his bank account after answering a phone call. However, the funds were recovered after a report was made to the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC), but the biggest mystery is how did it happen in the first place? Is it possible to transfer RM1 million despite the daily limits set by banks? Is it possible to transfer funds without OTP? Why were the funds transferred to Celcom?

On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin will be talking about the latest HOT news for the week! The topics for this episode include the locally-assembled Mercedes-Benz EQS 500, JPJ will no longer need drivers to carry around their physical driver's license or road tax, Shopee's new personal loan feature called SLoan, and International Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Zafrul teased more EV-related incentives to be announced soon?

On the latest episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex will be talking about 5 top topics that happened in the past week. This includes the recent launch of the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the Poco X5 series in Malaysia, as well as the all-new Perodua Axia 2023 which could set a new benchmark for entry-level cars. Grab has also launched a new feature called Quiet Ride and the government has revealed a master plan to turn Subang Airport into a Premium City Airport.

One of the many benefits of owning an EV is the low maintenance cost, as there's not much to service, like the engine oil. However, if you were to find yourself involved in an EV emergency, there are some things that you should be aware of and also be prepared to fork out a certain amount if you need to replace an EV tyre. On today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share some advice on EV emergencies from Alex's recent experience with his Kia EV6.

Recently, there's a growing hype for EVs in Malaysia, which means many people are getting curious about what to know when getting into EVs. On today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex answer some of the many common questions about EVs.

In one of our previous episodes a while back, we talked about the poor state of EV charging infrastructure in Malaysia based on our experience reviewing the Hyundai Kona e-Max. Well, fast forward to now, it seems like there have been improvements to the charging infrastructure, especially with this new company called Gentari. Now, despite there being improvements over the months, can we say that Malaysia is ready for EV adoption? And who is Gentari?

Just after GE15, there was a handful of racially charged content circulating on social media, especially on TikTok relating to a specific date which was, May 13th. However, earlier in October, it was reported that TikTok will not allow political advertising on their platform, so why were some of those videos being promoted as sponsored content on TikTok?

Just last week, RapidKL announced an immediate weeklong closure of 16 stations on the Kelana Jaya Line from 9th to 15th November, which made that one of the most severe outages. The thing is, it's not the first time the LRT lines suffered disruption this year, which clearly shows that there's a major problem with Malaysia's LRT. So the question is, what will RapidKL do to prevent this from happening again?

With the latest 5G development in Malaysia, there are now 5 major telcos that have signed the Share Subscription Agreements (SSA) with DNB. However, Maxis remains the only telco that has yet to sign, but we can expect them to launch 5G services by January 2023. Now that more Malaysians can experience 5G, what can we expect? And, what are the 5G plans that are available?

Whenever there are talks about iOS and Android, it's a controversial topic that never ends. Yes, it can be said that Android smartphones usually get innovative features first rather than Apple devices, but despite being latecomers, has Apple finally closed that gap after many years? On today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share their thoughts on iOS and Android devices and how it shows that Apple might be catching up.

A while back, Bank Negara Malaysia instructed banks to stop sending one-time password SMS as a form of authentication for online transactions. Following that announcement, the Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia also shared some preventive steps to combat scams. Despite the ban of OTP SMS and the preventive steps, will it strengthen safeguards against financial scams? On today's episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share their thoughts on BNM's move to ban OTP SMS.

Budget 2023 was officially announced last Friday by the Minister of Finance, Tengku Zafrul, with an allocation of RM372.3 billion, the biggest budget ever tabled yet. However, nothing really stands out, so how will Budget 2023 be better than Budget 2022? On today's special edition episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share some key takeaways from Budget 2023.

Apple launched a whole bunch of new devices during their September event. But do you know what they didn't launch? A folding smartphone. With the amount of headlines and success key rivals like Samsung are getting for their folding phone innovations, why has Cupertino not released one of their own?

The deadline has come and gone, but what has happened? Well, two major telcos declined to invest in Malaysia's special-purpose vehicle Digital Nasional Berhad. But why would they do that?

Scams have been on the rise lately and are using various approaches to access the online banking accounts of many Malaysians. Just recently, a doctor lost RM13k from her CIMB bank account without any OTP verification. Is the government doing enough to help prevent these scams? Are banks taking fraud seriously? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share their thoughts on CIMB bank's latest scam, along with some helpful tips to help prevent them.

It's been around two years, and there seems to be no progress in deploying 5G network. Talks about a "single wholesale network" are still in the air, and both the Communication Minister and Finance Minister are saying confusing statements, which have left us wondering, what is going on with 5G in Malaysia? Is there a reason why telcos aren't saying anything? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share their honest thoughts and opinions on the current 5G network progress in Malaysia.

It appears that an increasing number of people are getting scam messages through iMessage on iPhones. Most are offering "job opportunities", but are very clearly untrustworthy. What can you do about it? How can you block these messages? If you disable iMessages will you still get your TAC numbers? Well, on this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex break it down.

Just recently, many Malaysians were affected by a sudden power outage. TNB shared that the issue came from a station in Yong Peng, Johor, that affected up to 10% of the electricity supply in Peninsular Malaysia. Despite knowing the cause of the issue, how can one PMU station have such a major impact? Is there something more behind this power outage? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share their personal thoughts and theories about the power outage.

The all-new Honda HR-V 2022 is finally here in Malaysia! The Malaysian market gets three different variants, which are 1.5L NA, 1.5L Turbo and a 1.5L e:HEV Hybrid RS variant. With the market full of very close contenders to the HR-V 2022, is it still worth getting it? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share what's new with the HR-V 2022 and comparing it with its close contenders, especially with the Toyota Corolla Cross.

If you haven't noticed, the traffic congestion has been quite bad lately. The KTMB Ceo even made a statement that M'sians are too "lazy" to take public transport and traffic jams are caused by Malaysians, but is that true? How is this our fault? On this episode of Let's Talk About, we have Rory and Hanif joining Amin as they share their recent experience with Malaysia's public transport system.

If we're talking about landmark moments, this is one of them. Earlier yesterday, the brand new satellite, MEASAT-3d, was launched into orbit from French Guiana. This comes eight long years after the launch of the previous MEASAT-3b, and guess what, we're going to be on-site to witness it live. But why is it important for Malaysia? Why should you care about another satellite launch? Well, on this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin break it down. Hint: it has something to do with improving connectivity for the underserved and unserved population.

Many of us have noticed that there has been a price bump in eHailing fares, but is it due to lesser active drivers on the road? Or due to the increase in traffic lately? It was also reported that around 30 to 40% of Grab drivers would most likely not respond to ride requests during peak hours as they are afraid to get caught in traffic. So, what are the main factors of this issue? How can it be solved? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share their thoughts on the current eHailing fare surge, along with some key factors that might be causing a shortage of eHailing drivers.

The Malaysian Immigration Department announced a while back that Malaysian passport renewal must only be done online, and walk-ins are only acceptable for selected people. Despite that, many people still end up queuing for hours at the Immigration Department due to certain "technical problems". Shouldn't online renewal be faster? How is the Malaysian Immigration Department solving this? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Alex and Amin share some problems you might face when applying online, followed by Alex's experience of renewing his passport.

Despite the change of government over the years, 5G network is still up in the air and talks about a "single wholesale network" has many questioning who has the vested interest to take care of this 5G network? And is there a need to develop a single wholesale network? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex share the current status of 5G network in Malaysia and their thoughts on a single wholesale network.

Have you seen those unusual ads on Facebook? Lately, there has been an increase of scam ads spiralling around Facebook, like the recent “D4 Durian” app incident. The question is, why is Facebook still allowing these scammers to run these ads? Why isn't the government taking action against these ads? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex talk about the different scam ads they've come across as well as some important red flags to keep an eye out for.

We're seeing a lot of reports coming out about how easy it is to take your EV "balik kampung". But can you really treat it like any other car? Well, we took a fully electric Hyundai Kona e-max on an 800km roadtrip and what we found out was that the truth behind charging is a little more complicated than just plugging in. On this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Rory share their experiences with taking an EV on a road trip.

There's probably more interest than ever in buying an electric vehicle in Malaysia. Not only are there tax incentives, but more and more car manufacturers are coming up with EV models, widening the range and also improving the accessibility. But, is Malaysia ready for EVs? Should you buy one right now? On this episode of Let's Talk About, Amin and Alex discuss the state of EVs in Malaysia.