The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the Minister spoke on the BYD issue. It was Hon. Mujibur Rahman who highlighted in Parliament that identical vehicles were being taxed differently depending on whether they arrived via Singapore or directly from the manufacturer — an unfair, inconsistent, and unlawful situation. Customs then held about 900 vehicles, impacting the local dealer and many middle-class customers who had placed orders. Although now before court, regulations must be promptly updated to match emerging technologies — electric or hybrid — to prevent such issues and reduce corruption risks both among officials and agents.

¶ 02 We’ve seen under-invoicing with certain Land Rover imports causing massive losses. Because influential people were involved, cases never progressed. For the country’s future, we need legal and regulatory reforms. The BYD episode highlights this. We also need swift rollout of EV charging infrastructure. The Government’s policy statement (p. 167) commits to a national charging network. In the next Budget, prioritize a nationwide network with the CEB, LECO, and private sector, leveraging renewable energy. A smart grid is vital to integrate more renewables, reduce coal and diesel dependence, and stabilize the grid. Investors, local and foreign, need legal certainty; recent amendments have increased perceived risks. While we classify vehicle imports, we must also attract power sector investment.

¶ 03 I hope the Budget will establish a rapid program for charging stations, leveraging our near-universal grid access and domestic technical capacity. That will encourage EV and hybrid uptake, raise revenue, protect the environment, and strengthen the power system.

¶ 04 Order, please! The Hon. Deputy Speaker may now take the Chair.

¶ 05 Whereupon THE HON. SPEAKER left the Chair, and DEPUTY SPEAKER [THE HON. (DR.) RIZVIE SALIH] took the Chair.