Last week, it was announced that Proton and PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop and manufacture an Indonesian national car. The MoU was signed by Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah and PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari CEO Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono.
Present at the signing was Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Indonesian president Joko Widodo,, who was in town for a three-day official visit, as well as Proton chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed.
Now, barely a week later, news has come about that the planned project is not to build an Indonesian national car. With criticism mounting over the announcement of the deal in the republic, Joko has clarified that the cooperation agreement between the two companies is not intended for the development of a national car.
“If we were to talk about the national car, I will of course talk about Esemka,” he was quoted as saying by Kompas. Esemka is a collaboration between a number of vocational schools in Solo, Central Java, which designs and builds vehicles. It was reported that Joko had championed the brand when he was the mayor of Solo, and had used the marque as his official car.
The MoU, Joko added, is strictly a business-to-business agreement between both parties, with no taxpayers’ money involved.
Some parties have of course expressed doubt that public funds would not be involved, while others have said that a national car is not what the public needs, adding that Jakarta should refrain from giving Proton any tax incentives or duty exemptions despite its role in the car programme.
The MoU aims to further business opportunities between the two companies where development and manufacture of the proposed vehicle project are concerned. As reported last week, a feasibility study is set to be conducted, including the potential development and manufacturing of the project in Indonesia.
Subject to the completion of a successful feasibility study, Proton and PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari will then sign a definitive joint-venture agreement for the proposed project. The MoU, it was added, is merely an expression of current intentions and isn’t binding on both parties. It’s early days yet, but at least one thing is for sure now – whatever comes out of this project won’t constitute an Indonesian national car.
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As a Malaysian I really do hope for the sake of Indonesians it is not a national project. Indonesians should be smart enough to learn from Malaysia what happen when it becomes a ‘national’ project
Condolence to Indonesia car buyers. Soon they can no longer buy Toyota, Honda at cheap price anymore.
Jokowi is learning how to bully own Indonesians with hidden car tax in the name of protection tongkat.
yeah really pity them la if it happens, downgrade from toyota and honda to poton. They will really hate us malaysian if that happens
Indonesian hope that you guys speak up before your country turn into bolehland.
Unbelievable high taxes and crazy AP system. With a lot of “hidden tax” that Cronies only notice.
Now Putar Belit. the MOU was very clear. So clear. Now putar belit and try to twist their words. Indonesians are clever. They are our brothers and neighbours. they have seen how much Malaysians suffer paying high car prices.
Indonesians feel for us. There are about 2 million Indons in Malaysia. That is just foreign workers. If you include those that became Malaysians, there are about 4 million Indons in Malaysia easily. There 4 million tell their relatives in their home country what a fraud Proton has been.
In the 80s or even in the early 90s, you can get a brand new Nissan 130Y or a Toyota Corolla for RM20,000. Now, the same car is RM139,000.
In truth, the past 30 years, car prices have come down a lot globally and have NOT gone up due to inflation. It has come down due to economies of scale achieved by car companies and new technology used. This is proven by the fact that you can get a brand new purely Japan made top spec Toyota Camry 2.5 with 10 airbags in the US for US$22,000. That is about RM70,000.
The normal B segment car like the Almera is sold in the US for US$9,999. (RM35,000). After discounts, the Toyota will be sold about US$18k and the Almera about US$8k in the US.
Mind you, this is after Toyota and Nissan of the US has made their margin and profits and the US government has collected taxes and duties from Nissan and Toyota. The direct from factory prices is far cheaper. UMW will get the above 2.5 Camry for US$15,000 from their principal in Japan. As our Camry is CKD, the price is even lower than that.
So, in actual fact, most Malaysians can enjoy cheap and reasonable cars but because of Proton, all the other car prices have been raised up tremendously to protect Proton. We all know MITI controls all the car prices to protect Proton.
Our brothers in Indonesia know about this. Indonesians or Indonesian descent living in Malaysia already 40 to 50 years and they too have seen car prices skyrocketting in Malaysia despite global car prices going down.
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 protecting the dying Proton. Proton sucks billions of our LHDN money, money which could be used to build more schools and hospitals.
If we did not have Proton sucking money from LHDN, each state can have an additional 10 fully fledged government hospitals and 10 fully fledged government schools every 10 years being built. But all our LHDN money go to the failing Proton. Every year government gives hundreds of million to Proton as form of grants. Every other year, Proton ask RM billions in help. Recently, even under private hands also (DRB) Proton asked the government to give them free few RM 2 billions from LHDN.
We are fed up of Proton and Perodua. Our brothers in Indonesia all feel for us Malaysians and they have voiced out their opinion. They don’t want to suffer like how we Malaysians suffer.
Dear protonGSC,
Im against corruption, Im against cronies involvement, Im against every injustice that took place in this country but still I dont think that you have the right to call my country as ‘Bolehland’.
This is my country also and I like to call it Bolehland. What is your problem? ProtonGSC, pls do call it Bolehland anytime you wish
Indonesians know what a fraud Proton is. Many Indonesians over the years, especially Indonesian maids following their owners in Proton cars have died over the years.
So, Indonesians are well aware of the crappy quality Proton comes out with, the low standards of their cars and how Proton rips Malaysians off with high car prices.
That is why Indonesians are angry and very critical of this deal. They fear that they are going to end up like Malaysians who, really have no choice but to buy Proton.
The Indons now enjoy good quality Toyota for so cheap of a price. Cars like Kijang are so cheap. They fear that all that will be taken away and Indons will be forced to drive crappy quality by Proton.
Anyway typical Malaysia, announce news like lalang. One day this, one day that. It shows Indonesia a true democratic country where people’s voices are heard.
In Malaysia, people’s voices are not heard. Government tell you go to hell if you make noise. Do what you are told. “IF we cronies want to make money at the expense of the rakyat, you Malaysians have no say in it and shut up”
This clearly shows Indonesia is a true democracy with its elected people having a voice to show their displeasure if need be.
“Many Indonesians over the years, especially Indonesian maids following their owners in Proton cars have died over the years.”
Aha.. that’s a pretty interesting claim by you… care to show a statistic or even a shred of evidence to backed your claim? Or you just some idiot who tried to slander PROTON?
the only slander here is Proton trying to slander Indonesia. The board in the signing ceremony clearly says for the develpment and manufacture of Indonesia’s national car.
Now, after public outcry, try to lie. That is real deceit and slander
What crappy quality ? Kijang / Innova only good for space and things not people, built on ladder frame chassis, yes, same with those pickup truck!
Ride quality exora is much better if it’s people mover. Handling and power, dun need to elaborate. CFE’s 205Nm is waayyyy torquey
the new car that came close to standard international price in malaysia was honda insight hybrid..with selling price of 98k not too different from UK and Australia.Only US it went cheaper by about 15k..of course there was sale tax..wonder why toyota prius was selling nearly 150k when the US the difference between Insight and prius only rm 10k..here almost 50k..
Budak yg baru tau berjalan nak mengajar bayi 3 bulan untuk berlari
Berjalan apa?
Berlari apa?
Dear Mr Jokowi,
Learn from our mistake. Please don’t make a national car. A car is just another consumer product. There is nothing national about it. Don’t waste your taxpayers money.
“The MoU, Joko added, is strictly a business-to-business agreement between both parties, with no taxpayers’ money involved.”
No smoke, no fire.
I hope no Malaysian tax money involved too!!!
For one man pride (syok sendiri to be precise), generations of Malaysian suffer.
no tears for Indonesia side since the biggest Malaysian pride sign a deal with “garage” company.
PT. Adi perkasa is a not real automotive company
http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2015/02/12/115022026/Kantor.PT.Adiperkasa.Citra.Lestari.Hanya.Ruko
renting the address of the crappiest lawyer they could found.
hope paultan team will make sure the news are reliable before posting it.
It’s quite funny when we look at the backdrop it’s written MOU signing ceremony for development & manufacturing of Indonesian National Car. So how to counter the critism. Dear President Jokowi, please learn from our 30 plus years of mistakes and public funds abuses. Better develop something much more needed by your kind Republic.
We had Mitsubishi/Citroen, this MOU is to learn our pitfalls and also compare with other marques on its suitability to the Indonesian market.
Joko now says it’s not Indonesia national car…. but the Joko is photograph during the signing of the MOU that says “Indonesia National Car”. Is this 1 of the twist that politicians are famous for?
Just an MOU only………
Wow, did Pakatan Rakyat set up shop in Indonesia?
Maximum complains, zero solutions, nothing but politicking.
Protong has to do one more trick….tackle Jokowi..get back some dignity…domestic sales of Proton going below 100,000 units this year,behind Toyota.
The Iriz is stagnating with the lowest and highest variants bathing in our everlasting perlindungan sunshine….lack of orders….and huge discounts from 5 to 8,000RM after a grand launching in Oct 2014 by its founder.This is SHAMBOLIC FAILURE of a so called game changer.
Even sell 80 units a month,like in Australia…to Proton is better than parking unsold in our storeyards.Proton needs this level of dignity,Same Loor.
i think this news is actually for malaysian consumption…hihihi…to show us that indonesian want to work with proton for their national car….
I think the project will proceed with proton financing the project while the indonesians provide the market.
To all the idiots here keep asking Indon don’t buld national car, please STFU.
If Jokowi takes Proton there, maybe Proton will never come back to Malaysia, and ew can finally be free of Proton! So shutup, cross your fingers and say Sayonara to Proton!!!!
Let the Indons rot!!!! Ganyang Indon!!! Sumpah tak kesah!!!
It is nothing more than their animosity towards Malaysia all these years. They are more willing to sell their soul and dignity to the Japs, the Korean or even the Indian than to Malaysian. Even Petronas petrol station there is a hard sell although they are selling superior quality fuel.
Yes, their animosity because they lost Sipadan and Ligitan, because of all their foods and dances that we claimed as ours and because of all the maid abused by Malaysian.
Indonesia wanna beat Thailand in the auto industry and become the new Detroit of Asian… so do you think Joko is so stupid to make Proton their national car??
Top selling car is Toyota Avanza, it is make in Indonesia, by the Indonesia… well maybe R&D from Japan… so do you think Joko is so stupid to replace it with Proton??
Joko has fight hard in the last election. Will he be so stupid to make his people angry bcos of Proton and lost his trust toward his people (Indonesian) ??
tats why me hate reading most local auto magazines…almost everytime a new P1 model came out, they will sing all praises using stylish words such as “GAME CHANGER, BEST P1 EVER, BEST MODEL EVER, BEST SEDAN IN BOLEHLAND, BEAUTIFUL ELEGANT STYLING (Yes, even the super ugly Supima/Peve)
Pity proton. Even indon are rejecting. Tak tau malu ke dr. M?
Furthermore, MoU on national car why Proton? There are so many better brand with better tech.
Proton only have 1 Macampro engine and it last for a decade until now. I don’t see proton got anything else to share with indon. In fact, we don’t even have a new engine replacing Macampro.
i wouldn’t surprises, Proton has been trying to sell in Indonesia since 2007, once this car exists for a taxi, but then they all easily moved to toyota and nissan. while others start with china brand.
while for private car, i could count proton car that exist in this country, same as the indonesian “so called national car” timor which i’m not really sure if it still exists.
Toyota Kijang for instance can be considered National car.
Kijang was made from toyopet pickup. and yes it doesnt have any safety back then. but since it was upgraded to Toyota Kijang Innova, they have been quite a great car. even safer with things added like airbags, side impact beam, and so on.
as of the prices. Innova in Indonesia starts from 190 million IDR.
and looking up to the top line of 300 million IDR.
this car isn’t as cheap as you thought. you can easily add 90-120million IDR to get “Fortuner toyota” or “Mitsubishi Pajero sport” with much better looking, equipments, and so on.
I am guessing that this PT. Adi perkasa is the one that going to supply parts to PRoton ? or perhaps..
PT. Adi perkasa is not exist !! they only renting address of bad law firm.
http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2015/02/12/115022026/Kantor.PT.Adiperkasa.Citra.Lestari.Hanya.Ruko
our local journalist has made an investigation
say no.
jokowi, the so called hero of indonesia….is just mahathir in a rabbit suit