PETALING JAYA • Malaysians have responded cheekily to the unveiling of a scale model of a flying vehicle at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace 2019 exhibition.
Known as the Vector, the vehicle's debut has been stealing the limelight at this year's edition of the exhibition, with many participants eager to see it.
Most of them thought the Vector was the much-talked-about "flying car" that has been touted to debut in Malaysia soon.
But Mr Imtyaz Mohd Azzat, senior group business development and consulting director at Aerodyne, the company behind the Vector, refuted the idea that it was developing a flying car.
He said the Vector was designed only to be a "point-to-point air transportation system".
On The Star Online's Facebook page, Malaysians were quick to say they were not fans of the Vector, with many playfully asking if the model was made with the well-known KDK fans.
"It looks like the stand fan in my house. It can be bought at Giant Supermarket for RM69 (S$23)," said Facebook user Lee Sii Wong.
User Sam Chuah chimed in with: "Looks like they installed it with four units of National standing fans. Awesome!"
Some users also criticised the lack of innovation in the project, saying that it was not a brand new idea and that it had been done before.
"It is merely a drone. Nowadays, there are plenty of drones that can carry up to 500kg of load. We were misled to believe that it is a vehicle," said Mr Daniel Wang.
Malaysian Chinese Association president Wee Ka Siong asked if the Vector was the prototype model of Malaysia's invention of the flying car mentioned by Entrepreneur Development Minister Redzuan Yusof.
An exasperated Mr Redzuan said Malaysians who dissed the "flying car" can choose to stay behind. "People call this a state of denial, whereby they can choose to stay behind," he told reporters at Parliament lobby yesterday.
Asked when the Vector could take to the skies, Aerodyne's Mr Imtyaz said its prototype was slated to be ready to fly as early as June. He said his four-year-old firm, which has experience in drone technology, had yet to determine the price.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
