Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak gave his assurance that the (current) government will continue assisting in Proton’s recovery and improvement. This is to ensure the national carmaker can build up its presence in the international arena.
In an article by Berita Harian, Najib said the government has already studied Proton’s history without prejudice, realising the problems that afflicted the carmaker was due to an economic model that focuses on patriotism rather than global ambitions.
“There has been too much political interference in Proton’s administration. We will not allow Proton to sink, not allow it to fade away. Proton requires the government’s support in its recovery and my administration will restore Proton,” said Najib.
“Therefore, if people say we are not assisting Proton, it is a lie. We provided loans, we provided capital injections, we provided incentives, but we also made it mandatory that if Proton were to advance, it required a strategic partner.”
It didn’t matter who it was, we didn’t direct Proton to choose partner from any particular country or company. We left the decision to Proton and DRB-Hicom, which eventually lead to the selection of Geely,” he added. Najib made these comments at the launch of the National Automotive Cluster at Proton City in Tanjung Malim.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Sell to China. Then hav china ceo. Proton wont sink as chinese is good at managing business pratically.
RM at record highs. Lower vendor cost, Cheaper parts.
Cheaper cars for Rakyat
Cheaper cars?
hell NO!
We had to wait 30 years before a China CEO running Proton had to tell us that parts were 30% overpriced.
All the Malaysian CEOs in Proton could not see this
They came, they saw, but they join in reap profit also..
1957 Merdeka, 60 years have passed, still don’t know how to run a car company.
The lost years of 3 Msia generations.
Proton not born in 1957.
5 June 2017:
Proton poised to face RM1 billion loss this year without Geely deal – prime minister Najib Tun Razak
5 June 2017
“Proton recently sold just 6,000 units a month, which means 72,000 units a year, so how can it be profitable?
In the previous year, it lost RM500 million. This year, if there wasn’t any restructuring, it would lose RM1 billion,” said Najib.
“Last year, the government helped by providing a soft loan of RM1.5 billion, and this year, Proton asked for another RM1.1 billion for R&D (reimbursement).
This is the rakyat’s money that is being used to save Proton,” he continued.
https://paultan.org/2017/06/05/proton-poised-to-face-rm1-billion-loss-this-year-without-geely-deal-prime-minister-najib-tun-razak/
We will make Proton great again like how we will make US Great again
Gov better support P2
Better to support hardworking company like P2. Even without Government orders, they can sell 210,000 cars per annum
Hardworking for more unsafe cars? NO WAY!
All Perodua cars certified 4-star NCAP at minimum.
Trying so hard to defend Proton. Just close shop better
Then u prefer more exp cars, eh? No problemo.
Before Proton started, cars were so much cheaper without the unfair import taxes.
Just remove the taxes.
Remove AP System now. No more exp cars.
Before Proton came, Japanese and European cars in Malaysia were far cheaper. Prices rose only after Proton started. So logically, without Proton there is no need for protectionism. Therefore realistically, free competition without government involvement should push car prices downwards.
Really? When gov remove subsidy for sugar, did prices went down?
Reality is, all of them will pakat to maintain or increase prices. By then with no value for money P1 cars, how will u buy that RM270k vios for daily use?
Realistically, better for gov to increase prices then spend it to improve public transports.
Better buy Perodua Myvi. It uses a Toyota Vios engine. U pay RM50k, you get a Toyota Vios like car worth RM92k
nobony want to buy Vios kosong for RM92K nowdays. They buy City by DRB Hicom..opss.. they also own Proton.
Toyota cars are good… But they charge waaay too much for their premiums imo. It’s not Apple level of overcharging, but I cant place their prices as competitive when Honda and other players are also in the game.
Vios is usually guilty of this imo.
Latest news. Proton assembly plant in shah Alam ( Exora and Saga VVT) is in the midst of shutting down. It is now in the first phase of reducing number of staff, that is removing staff with disciplinary issues like often late or MC or EL or under performing. How they do it, let’s leave that as internal matters.
The assembly line will be transferred to Proton City together with R&D and test track facility.
Secondly (when the number of personnel had reduced) they will offer VSS to those who already settled down in klang valley (bought a property, spouse working and/or children sitting for exam). The balance will be instructed to transfer to Tg Malim. Ample of staff quarters are not utilised and available immediately
But at the moment Proton COE HQ and service COSE will remain as it is until further notice.
Other rumours include proton will close all branches and let dealers operating sales and service, similar to Honda and soon Toyota. Many sales dealers had refused to invest into becoming 3S or 4S due to no sales and decided to surrender dealership. Number of dealers will shrink to 1/3 or something like that.
Geely plans to sell its cars here (not rebadge Proton) as part of first phase to penetrate Asean. The Boyue will remain as a rebadge Proton but there will likely be other Geely sedan to compete directly with Saga and Persona (go Google which model).
And chances is that the existing Proton branches maybe converted as Geely outlets (since not many car dealers would want to participate as Geely authorised)
Geely has no reason to sell its own brand here due to import duties and negative perception of China brands.
So far, all established news indicates Geely will rely on P1 for branding in ASEAN.
Boyue also China car so how to sell? Cause u say already got negative perception
China brand NOT China car. And only MY market cares about this. But the rest of ASEAN dun gip a F about China cars. So theres huge market for P1 to tap with Geely sapot.
But P1 has failed in their branding the past 30 years. So how they gonna help Geely?
Define “failed in branding”. How can anyone failed in branding? Theres no such thing.
the fact that everyone knows and talks about proton, and the fact that any “proton” topic in paultan draws the most comments, proves that their branding works.. for better or worse.. now proton, under the guidance and support of Geely, just needs to regain positive support by introducing the right products with higher standards of quality and after sales service. the next couple of years will be crucial.. coz if proton cant walk the talk, it will be incredibly difficult to keep on going as it is.
I have seen the lower end of Geely cars in Saudi and personally they are no match for Saga and Pesona design wise.
Geely was once quite ‘hot’ here with their offering of cars matching Camry class but lower price. But I rarely seen new Geely cars on the road even for Boyue (called X7 here) or Emgrand GT (which could be base for new Perdana).
No point defending Proton so much. Supposed to be Geely owned, so why use LHDN money to save proton?
LHDN money was never used for that purpose. Source pls.
Proton needs to be run fully by people from Mainland. Then only it be succeed.
Correct. Global toyota oso needs to be run by mainland China. Went from 1st place to 3rd within 3 years wei!
Correct. Mainland China-jepunis collabo success.
https://paultan.org/2017/11/21/yoshiya-inamori-get-to-know-the-new-vice-president-of-manufacturing-at-proton/
then Government get money from where? From the sky???
All Government revenue is from LHDN
Sigh. Someone who dunno how gov works. Oh well, i will let him stay in his ignorance. No point educating.
Government revenue orso from Petronas. and JPJ from selling Fancy plate numbers.
And don’t forget, customs is biggest contributor to govt coffer.
So apa guna Geely beli Proton?
22 Apr 2011:
Proton will survive in free market, says Syed Zainal
SHAH ALAM: Proton group managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir is confident the national car maker can survive in a fully liberalised market.
He said Proton was prepared to face challenges and opportunities when the planned liberalisation of the domestic automotive industry comes into play by 2016.
“We have been prepared for this (liberalised market) for a long time. Liberalisation is opening the economy for the car industry to become more competitive.
“We have a five-year journey and whatever we do, we must make sure the cars become cheaper and its product design and quality get better,’ he told reporters after launching Proton’s quality campaign here.
Protong…Please ,please,please….It is a shame,you need gomen menteris to keep telling the public,vendors need reduce prices by 30%,you are special lah, blah blah blah.
Just pathetic.
Rakyat,imagine those of us who have bought Protons before,have been fleeced cos the vendors keep prices 30 percent above market norm.
Just unthinkable,for 30 donkey years the rakyat have bought overpriced and substandard Protons.
It is game over.Just too late to salvage the PROTONIC( LIKE TITANIC).
Sell all & Swim.
https://paultan.org/2017/02/12/govt-has-no-qualms-over-proton-majority-stake-sale/
But like the Flying Dutchman, it will rise from the depths and strike terror in all those that cross it. Fear the P1-Geely!
The universe called, it wants its black hole back.
49% already in the sink hole another 3 years gone. Thank you mr super hero
9 Oct 2001:
Ready to Compete by 2006, says Proton CEO
Tengku Mahaleel revealed that the strategy it is following was presented to the Prime Minister in April 1996 and was given the go-ahead. It was a big challenge because at that time, recalled the Proton CEO, the company’s competency as an automaker was only at 60%. Thus, serious effort was needed to accelerate development and capabilities and the time-frame given was 10 years – the duration of the second Industrial Master Plan.
“We checked with other global manufacturers and the GM people said it would take us 10 years; we set a target of 3.5 years,” he said. That time-frame was a hectic one because it included the development of the Waja, the first Proton-designed and developed model.
Yes better let it sink and become tukun tiruan at deep sea bed.
At least macai2 can catch more fish to eat also.
“There has been too much political interference in Proton’s administration. We will not allow Proton to sink, not allow it to fade away. Proton requires the government’s support in its recovery and my administration will restore Proton,” said Najib.
Quote from main article and he is self slapping
No. What he referred to was interference from a certain ex-leader & ex-P1 chairman, thereby proverbially slapping that certain ex-leader.
20 Jan 2014:
We will survive, says Proton on competition
National carmaker Proton insists that it will be able to survive an onslaught of competition expected with the opening up of manufacturing licences to all carmakers in the world.
“Proton will continue to survive… of course Proton is not for sale! There is nothing to fend off.
“We have put in structural improvements… on the quality, cost and delivery and it is this basis that Proton has been attending to for the last 1.5 years.
That was when they had taikor. Now taikor gone, so no protection liao.
old news la.. management changed how many times after that..
Wel done MR PM…for letting the workers ..thousand of themkeep their jobs ya..
Close down Proton to end this silly failed national car madness & misery.
EIS (employment insurance scheme) can take care of the retrenched Proton workers.
The eventually pipu can only buy exp cars. So why?
Socialize debt
Privatise profit
Socialize equality
Privatise income gap
“There has been too much political interference in Proton’s administration.”
The main reason why P1 is where it is today. Whos fault was that?
Polis, jpj, kastam, imigresen, spanco must help to restore Proton… kipidap!!
If it suits their needs, why not? P1 has much better & safer cars than its competitor.
I’m guessing this is towards the end of Dr. M’s era and continues during Pak Lah’s era, and towards the first half of Najib’s era.
My guess that it also means going through 1998 financial crisis, and 2008 financial crisis. Eh whatevs, new leader will still have cronies, just the question is how strong they dictate the industry and if the then PM has the balls to tell them the fk off when needed.
The Government should stop all supports since Proton is no longer a national project.
Yes reduce/remove those car excise duties, car import taxes since Proton is China national car already.
At least replace it with CO2 emission-based car tax system which is more fair and transparent, and encourage more eco-friendly cars.
It’s time to stop robbing rakyat of crazy car taxes RM9 billion per year for fun.
Cars r now too cheap. Need to increase more taxes and add pollution tax on top of it. Then shove add that money to enhance public transports.
Just get rid of corruption. Save you trillions
Source pls.
The five stages Grief are, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance:
Denial: “Proton are on Par with other popular car makes like BMW, Volvo, Toyota and Honda – MITI”
Anger: “Look at the Japanese and how they are supporting their carmakers. Another example is South Korea, which supports local players like Samsung and Daewoo. I don’t understand why Malaysians are not supporting Proton – Khamil, Ex-Chairman
Bargaining: “We need the money to produce electric cars. That was our promise to the government and we want to do it but we are not getting the money from the government – Tun M”
Depression “Dr M resign as Chairman of Proton ”
Acceptance:”Najib said the government has already studied Proton’s history without prejudice, realising the problems that afflicted the carmaker was due to an economic model that focuses on patriotism rather than global ambitions”
In the end, the final solution as we every solution in Malaysia of late: If China can do, let them do, If they cannot do, What can we do.
What can we do? Very easy.
Rakyat will buy even more Toyota/Honda/Perodua cars as silent protest boycott until Proton sales sink further down to 2.6% market share or 26,000 units per year.
Say no to ancient unsafe Toyota & P2! Honda still okays.
Your mathematical ability is seriously suspect. Or you think the Malaysian car market is 1 million units per year. The official Total Industry Volume for 2017 was in fact 576,635 units.
So true…they’ll just let it sail away with from the country.
the (current) is not the (future).
Like (close shop)
Dislike (Proton no close)
i agree that Proton is not allowed to sink. if it sinks, many will be jobless and vendors will start to lose money. and if that happens, many will default their mortgage and car loans. in relation, there will be higher crime rate and family starts to breakdown. this will not benefit anyone.
Fact…many vendors link to dumno will lose their proton business. But proton only small fly now. There are honda, perodua, toyota, nissan, mazda etc. Why these vendors cannot venture there?
Rubbish, what can a factory that produces only 80k cars a year do? Support that few jobs?
The foreign guys coming in here will manufacture hundreds and thousands of cars a year, imagine the jobs they create, and they will certainly be able to provide better pay.
If proton sinks they industry will have rapid growth.
Hidup Proton! Takkan Hilang Proton Di Dunia!!
the problem is why?
Steady brah…
https://paultan.org/2017/03/02/proton-a-failed-white-elephant-project-nazri-aziz/
Yeah right
I suggest PM enact a law to deduct all working people Salary by 1% each and use this money to create a fund to help Proton.
After all Proton is our national industry. We are all happy to help….oh wai
Current gov will render assistance thats fair to all other local industries as well. The rest is up to Geely and surely they have a solid plan moving forward.
Tabouleh… DRB pegang 50.1%. The rest is up to DRB.
The mgmt team is effectively Geelys. So the rest up to Geely on the direction and resources needed.
Great move by our PM. We must help Proton no matter what….oh wai
We support Proton. But we buy Honda….oh wai
Yes its China that is saving Proton….
potong better close shop and sell totally to Geely
Why wud Geely kolos P1 when they have opportunity to expand it?
Geely wanted only lotus. They will squeeze proton dry and close it.
U underestimate what Chinese see in P1’s capability and potential. What a pity.
Better not sink again as now no more shah alam land to help the bailout next time.
Of course, it won’t be allowed to sink….people often forget that it pays to keep Proton going. because the government makes Billions of dollars every year on foreign car taxes..
They won’t have a solid excuse to do so if Proton was not around…so eventhough Proton perpetually makes losses..the logical thing would be to keep injecting pocket change money in order to sustain the taxes…
how to improve? our global small car iriz never went global..talk so much about target, but cannot achieve..
improving quality and exporting more should be the basis to improve proton, not always changing CEO la, politician la..
Proton has been the subject of a number of MBA programs locally and the difficulties are clear.
IMO, why bother with a bottomless money pit and attempt to revive a dead horse?
Psst.. psst.. its a dead cat.. not horse..
Proton should be compulsory case study for business school on “how to fail a business, even with government help”.
Its already a course content at Harvard..”screwing up a biz correctly 101″..quite popular i heard
Alredi have, its called “how survive meddlesome interferences from a political leader and become success 101”
yelah ….sampai company terjual 2 kali dalam 5 tahun.
Proton will not sink under the China company support.
If under any malay CEO then the ship will sink anytime.
You wont go wrong with the chinese’s management where ROI will be there for the next 3 years.
We can talk forever about plan, strategies etc.
But without sales, everything will be wasted, money and time. Proton and geli must prove that they can sell cars first, i mean a lot of cars here in malaysia.,cheaper price, cheaper spare parts, unlimited mileage warranty up to 10 years or etc, just like hyundai and kia are doing. Then only proton can be profitable again. Anyway proton is no longer government company. Its belongs drb hicom and geli.
so now?
Keep calm and keep lepak, releks and minum teh eat kuih lapis for all the Proton staffs….since they wont be out of job soon…
Semua ok…