Trading of Proton and DRB-Hicom shares suspended on Bursa, official announcement to come soon

Trading of Proton and DRB-Hicom shares suspended on Bursa, official announcement to come soonIt looks like the battle for Khazanah Nasional Bhd 42.7% stake in Proton has had its winner. Trading of the national car maker’s shares, as well as those from DRB-Hicom Bhd, have been suspended from 9am to 5pm today pending an announcement. The companies did not give details in a filing to Bursa.

DRB-Hicom asked for a suspension in trading, saying the company will be proposing a corporate exercise involving a very substantial transaction.

Reports surfaced last week saying that Government investment arm Khazanah will announce today that DRB-Hicom has won the bid to acquire its stake in Proton, with the transaction said to be at RM6 a share or total of RM1.4 billion.

Other confirmed parties bidding for the Proton stake were the Naza Group and Proton chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh. The press and/or analysts roped in UMW and even Tan Chong into the party, but both companies denied any invitation to bid and involvement in the sale.

Last Friday, Proton shares closed at RM5.18 and DRB-Hicom’s at RM2.17. Minority shareholders and speculators are waiting to profit from a general offer for their shares, expected to be coming soon.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • alldisc on Jan 16, 2012 at 12:07 pm

    this will make EON the main distributor for Proton again.

    and Proton Edar… perhaps, become the step child.

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  • littlefire on Jan 16, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    By changing hand to DRB-Hicom, what P1 will get? Fresh investment from Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary? I dont see much to benefit P1 in term of technical or technology transfer but rather just more $$$ involved in changing hands & maybe more advantage for DRB-Hicom to assembly their CKD/CBU cars in P1 Tanjung Malim plant?

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    • what technology does Proton need? They already have state of the art handling that even Nissan also dun have, that turbo MPV that is set to change the automotive landscape of Malaysia.

      Anyway, why they were sold in the first place?

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      • alldisc on Jan 17, 2012 at 10:14 am

        Khazanah Nasional is pulling out to as to prevent more losses, it must be.

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        • sean ZX10 on Jan 18, 2012 at 9:52 am

          khazanah the government arm is getting shorter..khazanah have no money la…all raped by current government

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    • akina on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:59 pm

      I believe Syed Mokhtar hv something in his mind.

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  • It is great that DRB-Hicom is given the opportunity to lead Proton. My concern now is the huge influence of Tun Mahathir in Proton due to his position as the ‘adviser’ to Proton, up to the point that he is able to dictate the strategic direction of the company. My personal opinion is that this huge corporate exercise is a total waste of time, energy and definitely money IF the top management at DRB-HICOM is not given the personal mandate by Tun Mahathir to perform WHATEVER it is that is necessary to take Proton to the next level and remain relevant in the highly competitive automotive industry.

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    • sean ZX10 on Jan 18, 2012 at 9:53 am

      Agree with AG…with mahatir still in the picture…all will go to crap

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  • Wheeler on Jan 16, 2012 at 12:30 pm

    so much hope for proton to go ahead with what that’ve done so far..

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  • BadBET on Jan 16, 2012 at 12:38 pm

    all unite under drb hicom, I hope for the better future

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    • breaL on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:34 pm

      i think DRB will sell it in near future for tons of profit…GM possibly?

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      • BadBET on Jan 16, 2012 at 4:38 pm

        The world of corporate is way beyond my imaginary, just can hope for the best at this moment. Full of dragon, crocodile and shark as I’ve been told. Maybe those who in those world can enlighten us.

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  • isn’t khazanah also own small equity in drb?
    what’s the difference?

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  • Proton shares closed at RM5.18 and DRB-Hicom’s at RM2.17 …..

    going up>>>>>>>>>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ soon

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  • Just me on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    why bother to acquire a company that only able to sell it’s product in M’sia, furthermore m’sia is well known for leakage in it’s account.

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  • elite on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:21 pm

    merger of two syarikat kurang upaya..?

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    • autojohndoe on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:35 pm

      walaupun kurang upaya,

      u masih tak mampu nak beli that 1.4billion ringgit of share…

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      • There’s another possibility with this merger. It could be that DRB buys Protong and sell it to Milo Corporation. That’s not a bad idea after all. Can convert TG Malim into the biggest Tin Milo assembly plant in the world!

        Hip hip hooray!

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    • abahaku on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:40 pm

      who know is will become a big player one day?
      anyway are you working in a “sihat” company?

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  • Wheeler on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    the winner has just been announced..

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  • unfortunately, the khazanah ‘wizards’ who are mandated to hold strategic assets of the nation and drive it forward for economic development for the long term were all schooled by wall street….

    it is just plain $$$$ that they look at…all this development, strategic stuff is maybe too difficult and time-consuming for them

    so they think its better for them to own hotels, property, banks, theme parks etc. these are more tradeable and liquidated…

    and anything that is open to any sort of global competition, well…that is too challenging for the wall street bozos..

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    • well said, they are just a bunch of investment analyst who have no real world operation experience ; )

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    • This is definitely a smart investment by DRB-Hicom.

      1) Good assembly factory -> more contracts from world wide manufacturer (since they are assembling VWs)
      2) Buy at RM5.5, sell at RM8 to VW (or other companies)?

      But on to P1.. I dun think DRB will contribute much.. hahaha

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      • probably smart move by drb.

        but as you just said, it just ‘assemble’…

        and make money by selling what you have just bought to a higher bidder..

        so is that it?

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  • hway de Cruz on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:54 pm

    any clues to wat technology p1 will acquire from this exercise? hopefully new mgmt can bring abt even better products for consumers, like EV and small cc NAE turbo n superchargered. get better tech transfer, with backing from lotus in ride n handling, p1 can get real good built quality to match European makes… then again, we just hv to wait n c wat comes out from this exercise. hopefuli it is not just right pocket goes to left pocket and consumers dun get anything beneficial out of it

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  • mastermind on Jan 16, 2012 at 2:57 pm

    KUALA LUMPUR 16 Jan. – Khazanah Nasional Bhd. akan melupuskan pegangannya sebanyak 42.74 peratus di dalam Proton Holdings Bhd. kepada DRB-Hicom Bhd. menerusi jualan bersyarat pada harga pertimbangan RM5.50 sesaham atau RM1.291 bilion. –

    DRB HICOM THE WINNER

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    • akina on Jan 16, 2012 at 3:05 pm

      bagus..so pasni tidak ada halangan lagi utk DSZ untuk bwa P1 pergi lbh jauh. sbb sblm ni ada je halangan drp org ‘dalam’ pemegang saham terbesar P1.

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    • BanyakMasyukWang on Jan 16, 2012 at 4:31 pm

      Sadly… it falls again for the 2ND TIME to DRB. Welcome back Proton Tiara!!!

      Maybe this is the Gomen escape plan to finally sell it to VW so that the rakyat wont be too angry, therefore saving some votes for the upcoming GE.

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      • taboogen on Jan 16, 2012 at 5:14 pm

        how old are you lah brother.. things changed already lah…. doesnt make sense at all.. give good things said GE lah.. doesnt give anything also bising…. and at 431pm you have not done anything but reading PT blog… aduhainyer pun… 2×5 jer sama

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        • Oho…so you must be a taxi moving around the whole day but at 5.14 stuck in traffic jam…

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      • samsam on Jan 17, 2012 at 12:57 pm

        Proton Tiara is a good car for low income people / family use for daily “transporter” its not an icon car so it doesnt sell like a waffer in malaysia

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  • akina on Jan 16, 2012 at 3:03 pm

    Bila P1 bawah Khazanah, korang kata perabih duit rakyat…
    ni DRB da beli P1, korang still komplen lagi..
    pasni musti suruh P1 bankrupt sbb nak kete murah drp luar..
    tp korang jangan harap la dpt kereta murah drp luar kalo P1 bungkus sekali pun..
    dan jangan harap dpt kereta murah walau gov bertukar sekali pun..

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    • Yup, I x harap kereta murah atau apa-apa.

      I hope for way less corruption only. But, ini off topic. Down vote u to the max!

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  • Lim Kopi on Jan 16, 2012 at 3:19 pm

    Oh ok, so another UMNO Putra company takes over….

    So what’s the difference there?

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  • inderaloka on Jan 16, 2012 at 4:01 pm

    Does this mean the government not own Proton anymore? Does this mean there will be fair playing field for Proton to compete with foreign car maker?

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    • autojohndoe on Jan 16, 2012 at 5:18 pm

      i think not… Playing field is governed by the policy…

      This is the ownership of a company only…

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    • taboogen on Jan 16, 2012 at 5:19 pm

      adoi… thats the problem about malaysian people dont want to know what is happening.. 2016 market will be liberalization … the move for khazanah to sell the share is to ensure PROTON will survive on their own.. no more ill illiterate people saying proton being protected by gov….. you’ll see in 2016 if your own company can survive if everything coming to our country… why hired malaysian people to work when we can get cheaper and even better worker for less what we are paying to malaysian…

      if that what we all want… then batter plan how to survive.. we have 4 more years…good luck

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    • Case when
      Yes = P1 Saga will be 60k instead of 45k
      No = foreign on the road car price will still remain, the one tat will hav a fatter pocket is the distributor.

      Pick your poison.

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    • But I reckon the bigger question is whether this would mean cheaper non-national cars and reduction of the ridiculous duties we have been accustomed to. Tapi apa nak di kato…… Wishful thinking la…. Kroni ke tak kroni we tak kisah, so long as we jangan diperbodohkan.

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  • Denfire on Jan 16, 2012 at 5:30 pm

    I’m just wondering, is there anything gonna do with Volkswagen?
    Since they cannot own it directly, then own it indirectly laa…

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  • For mere RM1.291B? Even at USD1.291B value of Proton is too cheap! Proton already injected RM2B to low volume niche manufacturer Lotus, spent hundreds mullions to produce P3-21A, P3-22A etc only to Al-Bukhary’s DRB to enjoy our Proton investment, R&D? The loss making Lotus was projected to turn around in 2013-2014. Lotus too could easily sell for RM1B once the period of two years expired. The value of Shah Alam plant also more than RM500m (too conservative figure) once the LANs redevelop for property project.

    For me Khazanah shoul sell their stake to the highest bidder, local or foreigner alike rather than to very diversified DRB or al-Bukhary. I don’t mind at all if Tony Fernandez, Toyota, VW AG or anyone as long as the decision will benefit rakyat.
    DRB’s slightly better than Chairman Nadzmi’s proposal. If l were Al-Bukhary, l’ll sell Proton land banks in Shah Alam more than enough to benefit from this deal. After two years this fellow will sell Proton or part of Proton’s plant in Tg Malim

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  • DArkerMarker on Jan 16, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    whatever la the decision………

    I wont buy a proton…

    I rather buy second car, as long as its not proton…..Too dissapointed with everything with a proton name…….

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    • autojohndoe on Jan 16, 2012 at 10:28 pm

      whatever la the decision…

      it is your money u talking about… who the hell cares…

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      • DArkerMarker on Jan 17, 2012 at 7:45 pm

        well, YOU are one that answered…..you are the one the cares, like hell…

        hahahahahaha, so silly you….

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  • autojohndoe on Jan 16, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    why everyone speaks as this is their buying?

    it is syed mokhtar al bukhary who become the boss…

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  • Hopefully, all will turn out good with Proton scalling to greater heights like Hyundai & Kia as these two marques have evolved drastically over the years and being sold worldwide in huge volumes. And probably one day we can see Proton being used in some good movies like Kia being used in the movie Nikita.

    Just some concern if this Syed Bukhary is taking more than he can chew. Already having such a big conglomerate. Hope it does not turn out to be another Renong when there is a financial crisis.

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