Proton is on a mission to revitalise its image with several initiatives. This includes, but is not limited to, the introduction of new products, a new philosophy, new logo and tagline, and expanding its list of services in the after-sales area of its business. To get a better understanding on Proton’s bold new journey, we caught up with the national carmaker’s chairman, Tun Dr Mahathir, for an in-depth interview.
While we could detail every aspect of our chat with Tun Mahathir in words, we’ve gone one better by preparing a video of the interview for your viewing pleasure. However, we did pick out some interesting takeaways to give you a hint of what to expect.
In the interview, the former premier commented on the current trend of recalls. With the recent CFE oil cooler recall, Proton are on par with other manufacturers, whereby honesty, followed by the willingness to admit and correct mistakes is a step in the right direction.
Tun Mahathir also touches upon various aspect of the company that requires improvement – after-sales and the quality of products, both of which are related to each other. Among the efforts done by Proton include its new Mobile Assist team and the employment of experienced Japanese personnel.
The company’s image is also a major concern to Tun Mahathir, where long-term negative customer perception will need to be overturned for the betterment of Proton. A time-consuming uphill battle then, one which is not limited to Proton alone, as you’ll find out.
Finally, competitiveness is also an issue discussed during the interview, where protectionism of foreign markets and the lack of protection, means Proton will have to fight harder to establish itself again, and prop up production of its cars.
There are certainly more issues that were discussed during the interview, so do have a watch and share your thoughts and opinions on Proton and its future in our comments below. Happy viewing!
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When is proton going to sack Tun M as its chairman? Now that would be one well received proton news story for a change!
Tun DrM should use his time to abolish AP system that he “continue” and don’t waste time on Proton that wasted billions on R&D !!! Then with the actual price Rakyat finally will be “FREE” from AP cronies !!!
Better to just hire Banglas to make Proton. At least they will not curi tulang like Nasi Lemaks
Don’t worry, i would soon ‘import’ millions of Banglas into the country. They can all work for Proton
Already 30 years of talking talking talking, another 30 years before action.
Proton is meant for DISCUSSION, not for driven.
Tun, thank you for all your goring and your video to attract sympathy towards Proton.
You see Tun, Proton is actually a good concept. But when you created Proton, you made sure every single part of the Proton car is supplied by your crony buddies.
And these crony buddies overcharge Proton by ten times whilst giving poor and inferior parts. That is why your Proton always falls apart and everybody blames quality control. That is the reason also why Proton makes only RM500 per car that they sell. It is solely because of the crony vendors who are overcharging Proton. For example, per car Mat is sold to Proton for RM100 whilst you can buy the same car mat from brothers for RM10.
And each crony vendor makes tens of million clean profit per year raping our dear beloved Proton.
So, Mahathir you can say all you want about quality being raised and your sarcasm about Gomen not supporting it, but until ALL Proton’s vendors are changed, how can the quality go up?
Mahathir you won’t do this. All your buddies have got the contract to be vendors to Proton.
You will just ensure that all the vendors for Proton remain the same. All your buddies and relatives, so why upset your relatives when you can continue your past misgivings?
Proton will still get the same low inferior quality parts it has been getting for the past 30 years and it will still be overcharged by 10 times for each part the vendors supply.
Malaysians have already suffered so much. For 30 years, 30 million people suffer so much. We struggle paying for our high car prices all because of one man’s dream of benefitting his buddies and friends. Until Proton changes ALL their vendors, Proton will be a loss making organisation because it produces super low quality cars due to its vendors supplying Proton Super low Quality parts.
Can the CEO or Mahathir come here and give us a list of every single vendor and who owns these vendor companies?
If u wanna be DAP racist trooper, please have some balls to use ur real nick, Albert Yong
Its good that Proton is suffering now as that how rakyat suffered cheated pissed for past 30 years.
Is that a Karma? Reap what you sow? Sweet revenge by rakyat? Justice done? Payback time?
Its all doesn’t matter when some China firm come and buy Proton for 1Euro.
Proton is following trend to recall?? What is going through the mind of this guy? Its about people’s lives and you think you are following trends?
Yeah, it’s like “lets make mistake in our first batch of cars and do some recall later, because it’s the trend nowadays”
Still cannot beat takata airbags scandal and VW cheater device
Can it beat Exora terbakar?
What about vios fire windows?
Personally i dont support his methods during his time as prime minister but i love how Tun M speak to media or during his speech as prime minister. He dont need text and always looks to the crowd. He cool attitude differ a lot from “our” current prime minister. Darah pahlawan konon.. Pirraaahhhh
Poor you, only brave to be keyboard warrior behind screen. If you are pahlawan then put here your face picture, ic etc. Coward!
Dey! Tell your dear supreme leader to sue WSJ in US courts dulu la, if he got balls la.
Thats like telling liverpool to go to nou camp and play with barca using their referees, their supporters, their rules and their balls. And expect them to win or else dun come home
In any biz, if u have a good quality product, it will sell, and it doesn’t have to be the cheapest, customers are always willing to pay a little more for a better product, after that, ur good brand reputation takes care of everything else..
Dr m has been an advicer/chairman to p1 since 3-4yrs,he had ample time to correct things, specially him bcos ppl will follow n respect whatever he decides.. Stimes, a company will onlime survive when theres a totall management shakeup to bring in new work culture n get rid of stinky work culture that hasnt work for more than a decade now…
A fine example of 3rd world mentality that doesn’t work… Really sad….
One more thing, id love to know this latest rebranding of p1, logo n its cost rebranding in corporate world is an expensive thing, that money could have been used for so many other things within p1…
revival? let it die already. make new company, NEUTRON. then rebadge honda/suzuki/tata/kia/gm/lambo. sell cheap2. everybody happy. after 30 years, rasuah banyak, close company, then make another one, ELECTRON.
Can I suggest VITAGEN?
Not many know this, but in the past, the United Kingdom did not restrict the imports of Proton cars too much, even when Proton was only 3 or 4 years old when their first Saga landed in the British isles.
In the past, Britain had a law which gave some form of ‘fair treatment’ to former British colonies (Commonwealth) like Malaysia. Proton cars were not taxed in the U.K., they did not fall under any quotas. Despite the fact that the 1980s Proton Saga C21/C22 was almost entirely Japanese in design, the British government was kind enough to allow Proton Cars U.K. to import as many cars as they liked. And at the time, Britain was having an economic depression. But when all other car companies were struggling, the ultra-cheap, reliable, Japanese-in-design Proton sold like hot cakes. Proton Cars U.K. then famously set the record for “Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom”.
Japanese-badged cars meanwhile, were heavily restricted in the U.K. (and also EU in general)… unless if Japanese car companies partnered with British car companies, or built British (or EU) assembly plants, the U.K. government would enforce a strict quota on Japanese CBU imports. But that didn’t stop the Japanese; Honda would partner up with Rover, Toyota and Nissan would build British assembly plants and Mitsubishi would build a Dutch plant and so on (all of this happened in the 1980s and 90s). As a result, British-badged car companies were wiped out by the 21st century. Some were bought over by foreign companies and governments. Today, the only surviving British-owned car companies are all niche producers (like Morgan and Noble).
Today, all EU countries have banned new cars that do not have Euro 6 engines, regardless of badge and origin. This is the EU’s response to cheaper cars from third world countries like China and India. They know damn well that if they don’t enforce some sort of protection, their few remaining industries will be severely undermined. And don’t think that all Europeans are loaded and filthy rich… in the last few years, France-owned, Romanian-built car company Dacia has become extremely popular in Europe thanks to updated engines and designs. Dacia makes ultra-cheap, sensible, reliable, no nonsense cars (think Perodua Axia).
The EU (America and Japan too) are very smart. They have found a way to bar third world countries from selling their cheap cars in their homeland, without the need for traditional import taxes. They know that in order for a country to sell their cars in Europe, they must possess the technological capability (or economic wealth) to engineer (or buy) modern, Euro 6 (turbo, direct injected, cyl. deactivation etc.) engines. Many car companies in China and India still cannot make their own engine, let alone Euro 6 engine. Proton has their CamPro, which can only do Euro 4 at best. When the EU started enforcing the Euro 5 standards a few years back, Proton was effectively barred from importing any new cars into the U.K..
If the new Proton engines are as good as claimed on paper, then the EU can no longer ban Proton from selling their cars in Europe. That doesn’t mean Proton will sell like hot cakes there, it’s just a ‘degree certification’ in metaphorical terms. The real work only starts afterwards.
Indirect protection…
It’s true, but most people dare not question it. The reason why Proton can sell their new cars (Prevé, Suprima S) in Australia but not the U.K. is because Australia does not enforce strict emissions standards. That is why many Chinese and Indian car companies have been able to enter Australia, but not Western Europe or America.
However, Eastern Europe (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia etc.) have not enforced the latest Euro emissions standards, and today, you’ll see many new Chinese cars there. Some of the best-sellers in Ukraine and Russia are Chinese. The invasion of the arguably better Chinese cars have killed off Lada, and today, they are owned by the Renault-Nissan Alliance. The same is true for Romania’s Dacia (also Renault owned). Now you see why Western Europe has enforced this ’emissions protection’… they are indeed very smart.
You cannot blame the customers for not buying your products. When i was purchasing my first vehicle, I test drove two cars. Proton Saga and Perodua Alza because I wanted to get a car with a boot space. I admit that Proton Saga drives very well, it is stable, tall and responsive. When I was making the decision on which car to choose, I thought about the trivial break down Proton cars will give me. Finally I choose the Alza. Until now, my 4 year old Alza had only two problems which required change. First, it was the A pillar plastic which became loose. Secondly, the steering audio switch which was insensitive. My friend who bought a Saga almost the same time as me, had her boot lamp wiring malfunction ( not due to burnt bulb), car alarm malfunction, front car door unable to lock, rear door unable to open. And whenever I look at my Alza, I am always glad over my choice. You can say that you cannot compare a cheaper car with an expensive one. But the customers will look at how each of your cars perform regardless of the price. And of course indirectly I will tell my friends my personal experience when they are searching for cars. It is indeed a very negative cycle that Proton is currently into now. Before one blames others, maybe one should ask, are my parts suppliers the best, or they are chosen because they are related politically or due to having special relation with the in charge. Nobody will know the answers , only Proton can address this issue honestly itself. Because I am bewildered over how easily Proton parts break down repeatedly. You cannot serve two masters. Either you make the customers happy, or the suppliers happy. Before Proton can do something about the poor quality of its cars, customers will continue to shun its products ( because we are asked to do two jobs for extra income, to plant our own vegetables thus it is impossible to have the extra time to keep on servicing the cars )the poor sales will continue to plague Proton and maybe at an increasing rate.
Best post ever. Proton fanboys just couldn’t accept.
Still Proton is a better choice if compare to VW. VW fanboys just couldn’t accept.
Syukur lah.
Proton doesn’t have the $$$ to go global.
Don’t waste your time & resources.
Open up the market and see how competitive Proton is ? If they only making $500 per car then the writing is on the wall.
Time to downsize the massive under
utilised , under productive and over paid workforce. Source cheaper manpower from
the 1.5m bangla’s.
John will be happy supporting & welcoming this initiative “cukurlah”.
Syukur lah.
proton had been making inferior cars in the past and present. being a relatively small company it is a great challenge to make perfect vehicles.
proton may had take us for granted from beginning thru mid 90s. but over the last few years proton have changed quite a lot. the challenges it face had some how made them to be more sensitive and realistic in their perception of product quality and ability to sell their product. this is good trend…
what we see today is the result of how challenge for a change for good or betterment.. I wish proton will soldier on and keep your head clear or arrogance and over confidence. Be real
Tun, pls fire the vendors first, they got the proton contract under BN cronies protection. Allow new vendors to go in and competition will drive up quality and drive down cost.
Proton should used Lexus as a benchmark for reliability and design. We have been promoting Look East policy since 1970 and it’s time Proton Follows Lexus, it is the most reliable car on the planet, even better than BMW and Merc.
You think reviving brand is as easy as removing a bad organ from a patient and put in a good one?
all DRB staff who are hired to place like or unlike here to favor proton. outside you get better pay…..sorry but we all know what is going on in proton marketing section. always saying turn around plan. reviving plan, fixing plan, new cars plan and at the end total miserable failure. we all want to see our Proton do well but like this they are better off closed and sold to a proper company to revive them not DRB.
The old man is lying through his teeth. Proton has declared the total recall cost is RM 2 mil to media and investment analysts, and declared it IMMATERIAL as its 0.5% of their Rm400mil losses and 0.025% of its revenue. COMPLETELY IMMATERIAL POCKET CHANGE. They declared RM17 as cost of new hose which is X95,000 = RM 1.6 mil. Additional RM4 for labour. How many times wanna lie Proton??????