According to Bernama, Perodua says it expects to ink a collaboration agreement with Proton later this year or by early 2012. The company says it has had meetings with Proton at the highest level, and a strategic collaboration for both parties is well on the cards.
“There are a few areas that we are trying to collaborate. They are still at discussion stage. I think we are happy with the items. We will make the announcement on a memorandum of understanding this year or next year,” Perodua MD Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh was quoted as saying.
Aminar added that there was no change in Perodua’s stance on the proposed merger with Proton. “We are against the merger. We have our own plans, going forward,” he said.
In other news, Perodua will be announcing details of its new electronic automatic transmission (EAT) plant in the near future. Aminar said that the company will reveal details on the equity structure of the plant as well as its exact location when the announcement is made.
“We are setting up a joint venture. It’s still in discussion. We’ll make announcement on the equity structure of both Perodua and our Japanese partner (Daihatsu), as well as the location of the plant in the next one or two months, whether it will be in Selangor or outside Selangor,” he told reporters today.
Perodua was also mulling whether the plant will be constructed at one go, or in phases, adding that at least RM200 million is to be invested on the factory, which will produce transmissions for both the domestic and export markets.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments express skepticism and concern over the proposed strategic collaboration between Perodua and Proton, with many fearing it could lead to market monopolization, higher prices, and reduced competition, which may not benefit consumers. Several comments point out the likelihood of sharing components rather than full mergers, and there is debate about the impact on quality, innovation, and the broader automotive industry. Some skeptics also criticize government involvement, the current state of the local automotive policies, and the effectiveness of such collaborations. A few comments highlight that historically, similar collaborations in other countries like Korea and France have resulted in stronger automakers, but overall, the tone is wary of the deal’s potential implications for Malaysian car prices and industry competitiveness.