Close one eye lah.

After a while the hype will die down and everybody escapes unscathed.

This finding in particular is very worrisome:

"Meeting minutes do not indicate of Proton’s key management committee was formed by board’s mandate."

What exactly does this "key management committee" manage? It's no wonder there's such a huge leakage of funds from Proton if the management was never even appointed by the board in the first place!!!

At least, now that all the skeletons have been brought out of the closet, someone can actually do something. I hope.

Fingers x'ed.

PLEASE DONT BUY PROTON.

just dont buy all be like stanleysheoh

NEVER BUY A PROTON BUTB WONT LET OTHERS TO BUY

goodm, this attitude will lead Msian out of suffercation.22 years…is way way too long….come on stand up ourselves.

TAK NAK PROTON

The problem is, this might have come a little to late and a little to halfheartedly.

Most M'sians have lost faith in Proton, so regardless how many new models, "quality" improvements, and management turnarounds, we will still be a bit wary. Once bitten, twice shy they say.

To took the last 10 years alone for Hyundai to get over the "quality" problem despite the fact some models of the last 2 generations were not only as good but also at times even better built than their Japanese peers. Even m'sians still have the notion that Hyundai is a cheap and unreliable car. Good grief….

Its an upward struggle no doubt, but in Proton's favour, it still has the government's support. However, if the consumers arn't swayed, its still bye bye for Proton.

A little help from Gov'ts is fine in the infancy stage. This is by god, already 22 years.

July 31, 2006 @ 3:57 pm

It amazes me how some of you guys still think there’s hope in this gov. 22 years on, you still believe gov have not heard our voices? The problem is they will not listen. Democratic my butt. Pandai2-lah at the election booth. I’m afraid soon we’ll all have our views censored.

FULL STOP. you got that one right.

professional auditor is a bunch of bull. the situation is actually worse than it is. and being in the car industry at this time in history competition is many times tougher and proton has absolutely no chance of survival (in contrary to what many people in malaysia still beleive after all that has happened and is gonna happen). very soon this 'investigation' crap will blow over and nobody will remember it let alone know what the results of it are. proton will be 'alrite' again and release another savvy. legal action against past management most likely wouldnt take place at all.

1. There is NO technology that can be transferred from a bike to cars. There has never been any car companies that bought car companies for its technology, or brand. Mahaleel quoted Honda, BMW, Suzuki- he obviously do not know the history of these companies.

2. M Justified the high price by saying that there was a R&D facility, inventory and a factory. R&D facilities are only as valuable as what they produce, otherwise it is only hardware. Has it produceed any special technology? The factory: has it any propritory technology or production process? otherwise it is just another expensive european factory. Inventory: any company with millions in inventory is in trouble and badly managed.

3. For 1 Billion, Proton could have spent RM250 million each to develop 4 models.

4. What did Mahaleel think they can bring to Agusta that thay can turn around, given that they were in financial trouble more than once. Shouldnt thay make sure that they perfected their products here before takling a totally new product.

I nwish the new CEO all the best. I heard he is an engineer who has worked all the way up, has a successful track record it Perodua, and is humble and spends time in the factory. What a change. Hope he will turn it around

Think of the possibilities if they had come here instead. They will require all the local support they can get, which will spawn up many local quality (I repeat quality) suppliers while providing jobs for the masses. They will use our steel, our electronics, etc. We will probably be better off this way.

We will then be getting inexpensive, quality cars. Then perhaps with the technology gained from this partnerships, we can finally build our our cars.

But then building a car is not something simple. If you had noticed, only the very top brass countries build cars i.e. US, Japan. UK. France, Germany, Sweden, Italy. Korea just about made it. Countries like Australia, Czechs, Russia barely made it. And Malaysia wants to try?

I hate too burst your bubble, SatriaGuy, do we have the kind of people to do this? The engineers at Ford or Toyota have had such a long history technical heritage. Their grandhathers built planes and cars way back in the early 20th century. They have such pride that building good cars is second nature to them. What does Proton have? Quality is a joke.

every good thing there 1 by taking off just like that without thinking how there come from .

MAS loosing money n how AIR ASIA making money. where is anti corruption, that never in there color skin, my B

Since Proton is a listed company, I wonder if our Securities Commission will also face action for its hefty negligence in guarding shareholders interest.

Those who still dream that Proton is the proud of nation is really childish. Proton is a disgrace to our nation (at the moment).

Conclusion? Proton cars are not meant to last more than 10 years (some claimed 5 years).

Sigh… after so many donkey years, now only Proton admitted they f**ked up due to poor management. Must be someone (possibly a VIP) hiding all the facts since Day 1. The contract termination of TM is a wise choice. They should sack another, also named TM for interupting the new Proton. For Proton to succeed, they have to be transparent. No more cheap advice from 3rd parties.

Yup, when Le Cost Cutter stepped in at Nissan there was zilch impact on prices in Japan. I was up there buying a car and a house at the time, so I am way too familiar with the situation, as is my bank account. Then again, even an R34 GT-R is cheaper than the down payment on a scummy one-bedrom condo in one of Tokyo's trashier 'burbs.

To return to things local, the Government is way, way too aggressive as regards the taxation burden levied on Malaysians. Perhaps (and I use the "p" word because I am not convinced otherwise) there was a rationale behind raising the taxes to give Proton at head start when it opened the doors, but those days are long gone now. The previous management should have recognised that an weaned the company (and policies) off the National Udder and towards modern, responsible corporatisation, but didn't and has left that task to SZ and his team. Then again the previous management shouldn't have bought a habitually bankrupt Italian motorcycle maker, but I digress.

But the Government here in Malaysia (like Governments all over the world, even back in Japan) tends to get used to tax revenue, and the dosh that's been raked in from excise duty is considerable. Perhaps the G here in Malaysia is addicted to the money vacuumed in to the public coffers at the expense of car buyers much as the British Government was when their old car "purchase tax" was being levied. It took a helluva lot to get that one knocked down in Old Blightly and it was "only" around 30 percent, while the local excise duty is three times that. But I guess the Malaysian propensity to not (officially) complain means that we all grin and bear it, while blowing off steam here and laying all the blame on Proton.

To blame the new MD on the sins of the past is almost as moronic as it is irresponsible. And it's well and truly irresponsible. But hey, I'll accept the fact that it's easy to say someone's stuffing things up, particularly when the you haven't got the knowledge to formulate (or even suggest) anything to rectify the situation above and beyond a "shut it down". But expecting a guy like Syed Zainal to get the company turned around in only six months borders on the delusional. He'll need time and – more importantly – people on board who share his ideas of corporate responsibility and transparency.

Not being privy to what's going on deep inside Proton, I'll still wager that he's gone a lot farther towards getting proton fixed in his seven months at Proton than any of we blograts could in seven years.

After all, if we had the right answers we'd all have real jobs and wouldn't be wasting our time here posting online, would we?

One thing he'll have a tough time with are the local component suppliers. While some are worth dealing with, way too many are a lost cause. When asked by a couple of CEOs from major manufacturers about using Malaysia as a place to set up shop, I warn them that if they do they'll have to set up their own supplier network or import the bits from elsewhere. Sadly, these sub-par suppliers are the mob who have sold junk to Proton to line their own pockets with a few squillion Ringitt. But when the power window dies, the customer doesn't say "Damn cheapcrap supplier power window!", he or she says "Dam cheapcrap Proton power window". So the cozy relationship some suppliers seem to have at some levels of Proton are a major factor in the company's lack of credibility with customers. Coming from P2, I suspect that Proton's MD is acutely aware of this situation and I'll wager knows who the decent component suppliers in Malaysia are. After all the MyVi doesn't seem to be too awfully bad as regards components sourced outside.

Finally, the last paragraph in the post made at 16:07 by aksMs sums up what I (as well as a few dozen other industry analysts in the region) have been saying for yonks. Now that there's a new set of hands at the helm, they ought to be supported – or at least be given the chance to make the needed changes – not sniped at from afar. SZ understands that Proton cannot keep being the Proton it has been, and that the sole path to survival lies on a very different course than the company has been on for the last couple of decades. Maybe he ought to have as much of a chance to tackle that job as we do griping about Proton, if only because it's a tougher job by a few thousand orders of magnitude.

I think there are much much more that they can do on the 22 years that they had. I'm not comparing with other countries or companies, but for the fact it has run for 22 years and still 'jiggling' with the same tune. So, do you still it's a good idea to support it? YES and NO.

Proton must continue it's work but as others said, please let it be run as a business entity and not as political show off.

Do you think if we changed the Proton MANAGEMENT and HIRACHY, that Proton will collapse? I don't think so. That are a lot of example out there where a company(s) will and had survived even you cut the 'head' off and replaced with a new one.

It's time for changes.

WIND OF CHANGE ANYBODY?

Look at the bigger picture and think of the country you live in. We are right now supporting Proton as an industry, not just a business, in having something we can be proud of. Proton is not theirs, it's ours, and so, despite the embezzelment and whatnot, the majority of Proton and its backers are genuinely interested in building an industry that matches Japan and Korea, if not the rest of the world.

Of course, this takes time and we are going to go through many hurdles like mismanagement, etc. The point is to stick with Proton and make it work. What's the point of complaining and forever talking about removing protection so that you can drive cheaper cars? That's just immature, irresponsible and plainly stupid.

1) Don't enter the politic, be a unique business entity

2) Don't hold too much on the research, study more on the vehicles life-cycle

if the products gonna die, quickly replace the products

3) Sell all unsold stocks to third country – do smart partnership or appoint new lincenser that will rebadge PROTON cars e.g Wira, Saga – No Holding Stocks and Liquidity on Cash

4) Reconstruct the Pricing Strategy, based on Pricing Strategy Matrix where; there have ECONOMY PRICING, PENETRATION PRICING, SKIMMING PRICING & PREMIUM PRICING.

5) Do a lots of research with Petronas so that both parties can have Win-win situation e.g. Research in petrol consumption (RON) or lube

6) Educate people on the CAMPRO engine as many of them do not know the details about Campro than VVT-i

7) P1 should reduce the defects of their products. For example current Gen 2, the rims very hard so that will effect the fuel consumption. Should change the lighter rim.
Push more on marketing effort and business development

9) Use all their opportunities wisely e.g R3, merchandise shop etc.

10) P1 should think likes BUSINESSMAN

11) Terminate their vendors services if not meet International Standard.

12) Quality control is important

13) Place P1 concept showroom in top major shopping complexes so that i.e. KLCC or Midvalley so that tourist can have a look on our national cars. Plus with P1 merchandises i.e. Gen 2, Savvy & R3

well i have a lot more ideas to give so that P1 can consider about it.

will give later.

Thanks

(then, the new management use an investment banker to justify selling it to gevi wht the xxxx? …hahaha..)..now, come back using pwc hehehe..

anyway, i hope the the new management doing something, sue and send to jail the 'culprits', dont just use the report as cheap (if it involved pwc not cheap actually) publicity, action please, let be like korea more….

i sincerely hope the new management dont use this to hide their impotent to bring success to beloved proton

Not me.

Be it MAS, TM or Proton, I just want to see them as a corporate and business entity. Not as riding tools for some parasites.

let it be…P1 already learn their mistake.

we as the malaysian are not suppose to blame them or G, rather than you guys keep blaming n complaining to them, better you guys come out with a resolution how to overcome the matters. I see that you guys talk too much but if you guys were GREAT!! better put or voice it in the paper!!

"dun ask wat your country can do for you, but ask wat you can do for your country"

P1 now should be more aggresive not only depend on G anymore. There's no time for politics, P1 should think likes other businessman. See how Petronas did and see the falls of MAS.

Never forget our history. See how the Jews did. They learn and study their history to make them better. Refers to the Holocaust whem the Nazi regime eliminate the Jews.

"the difference between impossible and the possible lies in man's determination"

Why dun we as Malaysian put all your ideas and comments in the paper (resolution draft) and send it to Parliament. As a democratic country we can do that so let ppl hear our voice.

Perdana V6 – really expensive maintanence, once about RM 100K+ and look at the resale value, even an accord 94 model has better value….or a corolla seg 1994.

Waja – use to own 1, but looking at that petrol tank……guzzler for a 1.6 even though it can give a reading of 550km+ on the highways…….why need pay RM 100 for a 1.6 when the Gen 2 is way lower with the same engine…….

parts are expensive and hard to get at potong kereta

Gen 2 – no glove box & coin box…, small at rear…..maintanence oklah…but i don't know why i like it…maybe because of it's small fuel tank about RM 65+ full tank. much better than waja

Wira & Iswara….the best product from them (proton)…..spare part senang dapat, maintanence murah & reliable……i know it's not the best but still very much better than all the models after them

Proton is producing 1 new car … what after every 2-3 yrs ? look at honda, toyota & nissan….people are not stupid guys…look on the road…. people are willing to fork out RM 85K+ for a Vios & City……to have less headache…although 1.5cc only….very good consumption as well !

Learn from them Proton…..!