During an official state visit to Indonesia, prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hinted at the possibility of reviving the Malaysia-Indonesia ASEAN car project. Such an idea was first mooted way back in 2014 by then prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who said the project would involve a collaboration between Proton and Indonesian partner PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari.
“Back in 2015, we’d discussed to jointly produce a car made by Indonesia and Malaysia for Southeast Asian nations, but it had not been followed up. Now we are looking at reviving the project,” said Mahathir in a report by Channel NewsAsia.
Both companies eventually signed an MOU agreeing to conduct a feasibility study to explore areas of cooperation for an Indonesian national car, with Mahathir (then Proton chairman), saying the venture could result in the development of a car for the ASEAN market. At the time, Proton was also exploring the possibility of a partnership with China-based car manufacturers like Geely to develop an ASEAN car.
The premier’s latest statement didn’t include any extra details, such whether the same parties would be involved in it, or even an expected timeline. Instead, Mahathir recalled the idea (for an ASEAN car project) was highlighted during a test drive session in a Proton car with Indonesian president Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in the passenger seat.
“At the time, I was no longer prime minister and I was driving at 180 km/h at the Sepang circuit. President Jokowi didn’t complain about anything (when the car was being driven quickly),” said Mahathir in a press conference with Jokowi. “It was very fast but I had no fear because Bapak Tun Mahathir was behind the wheel,” said Jokowi in reports by Bernama and The Star
What are your thoughts on this? Should the ASEAN car project be revived again, and if so, what companies should be involved in it?
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Meanwhile Vietnam showing their Vinfast car soon. Proton already use indonesian made exhaust since exora and not foretting the Gajah Tunggal Radial for their wheel.
We Indons love 7seaters. your Exora, Ertiga & Proton X7 SUV gonna sell vely well here.
Another car project is just silly. Already we failed with our car project.
We spent over RM20 billion to bail this company out. Those are official figures. Unofficial figures are probably many times more than that.
Imagine how many free Government schools and free Government Hospitals we could have built with that money? Few hundred at least.
Also, Malaysians have overspent about RM300 billion in paying for overpriced non national cars since 1985. This figure takes into account if Proton was not born, Malaysians would be paying far cheaper non national cars.
I think we don’t need anymore new car projects.
Hidup Tun ku.
Bak kata pepatah, Masyarakat sePakatan membawa Berkat.
Before another car projek is looked into, better we solve all the financial mess and problems left by the previous highly corrupted regime first.
Overpriced non national car? Meanwhile in Singapore……
Singapore cars are cheap? The COE is already SD40K (RM120K). Add another SD60K (RM180k) and your car will be RM300k for a mid price car. Do your homework.
still cannot beat one couple who got RM100b in overseas accounts.
Some says they took it out in large note denominations back in 1997 but its all worthless becoz Bapak outlawed large notes.
Nice to use ill gotten wealth to buy Birkin handbags
Pls close P2 too, until now cannot produce in house car, only waiting donation from jepunis overlord museum.
isn’t Bezza and new Myvi considered in house design ?
SUZUKI ERTIGA is already sold in indonesia.
POTIR had to agreed then or else bapak would have crashed the car with POTIR in the passenger seat. No wonder bapak coming back to haunt him
our Tun is a wise statesman. reminded POTIR,
“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now”
Alamak john, looks like our Bapak(Tun M) is actually going to honor the JANJI(MOU) with Indonesia as the idea was 1st mooted way back in 2014 by then PM Najib wo. What say U?!
I thought Tun merajuk when he said protong is no longer national car?
His pet project,his cucu protong is still in his plans of a comeback.
Anyway, just make sure all perlindungan is removed…let jokowi bring in the new non campro engine and better gear box.
So the new car JV should be named MAHAJO,JOKOMAH,OR THIRWI?..wHY NOT Jokomah ,sounds like Jack ma ,as long as it is not Bijan Rosmah,setuju?
Call it Kroniton
you should know about kroniton
That grey hair guy on the left side of Jokowi looks familiar.. :0
That grey hair guy lompat again?
I think it’s an old picture.
Old picture my friend. Just like old ideas and story recycled again and again…
Bro… u do realise the pic from archives right…?
why is Tun M so obssessed with National Car project?
Ego? Pride?
This is not what I voted for. We don’t have money to start such a project, furthermore, car companies are consolidating globally. No point in starting our own.
I agree that there are more important issues, aside from Malaysia’s tottering economy and numerous social problems to solve before such a status-seeking venture which we have already been burnt from.
Foreign car reluctant to built factory here other than assembly plant, so charge them with tariff for imported part but end up jacking up the price. Why not built another national car with parts from local source material? That’s how P2 works.
Well said!!
To the bashers: Hahahahahahaha!
??
this what happens when your English is so bad but you pass because of you know what.
syiok sendiri laughing because cannot understand the article fully
Syiok sendiri is you mate. We all understand his laughter. Its to you all noobs.
john, I think you could not understand the article and shot yourself in your own foot….oh wai!
Everybody knows his English is so bad
And every knows ur fake dupe. Hahahaha!
john’s English is really bad. Masuk Matriculation despite getting grade 3 in SPM
Muahahaha, excellent! May the Geely Empire’s influence grow, terima kasih Tun Mahathir and Pak Joko, you won’t be disappointed!
Upcoming Proton X7 and following models will be easier and faster to sell in Indonesia, well done!
Geely, Proton > all
Bro tokmoh. He probably looking for Indon partnership with his soon P1 2.0 instead of P1. He alredi said P1 is no longer national car anymore.
That idea was mooted when dr m was the chairman of proton. Jokowi smiled in his usual way. Now, ploton is another story but dr m is still the bringing the old chairman’s vision. The fact is ploton cars are not a hot item in jokowi’s land.
Jokowi had layan Bapak back then but not seriously considering it since Bapak got no power, no Bapak back in charge, Jokowi face will be dark as nite.
They can never produce a Toyota , Honda etc. So what’s the use?
They do not need Toyota and Honda cars for their markets
Only Toyota and Honda need their markets >>
This is an old photo, right?
Say no money to fullfill manifesto…. Then want to spend money for a stupid project. U want to fight Toyota, nissan, suzuki, geely etc etc? Can u sell your car? Lets get the economy back to normal and fullfill rm1.50/liter petrol first…. #penatpangkahPH
60year old jalopy needed major service overhaul 1st. Nonstop abuse from its former driver, gotta replace faulty corrupted parts yo!
#60tahun #penatpangkahBN
Its failure was due to a certain driver that abused it for 22 years & neglected to take care of it and maintained it. By the time he handed to the next drivers, it was in such a bad shape that whatever they do can’t bring it back to snuff.
Then we went & change the car but brought back that same abusive driver. This next car will certainly be destroyed much earlier than 22 years.
Betui! Deswaii went to Jepun & change the car. jepunis cars superb FC, senang maintain, jimat minyak, RV yg paling BEst!
Sometimes the obvious is not so obvious.
This is what ive voted for PH?
U voted to be shafted. Heres the shaft coming.
got shafted the past 6 decades. We survived!!
That was medium sized, no problem. But this one is HUMONGOUS JUMBO SIZE. We will not survive this.
Mine worst. Voted for BN.
U made the right choice.
If Tun really want to proceed with this utterly rubbish ambition and wasting taxpayer money for another bullshit car project, next GE you got no vote from me.. I vote for PH not only just to bring down Najib Regime, but I want to see the New Malaysia.. Cut this crap, wahai PM…
It’s very unlikely that Indonesia will go into this joint-venture, unless they have very very deep pockets since Malaysia is already stretched to its maximum from the 1MDB saga. I think Jokowi is just entertaining this old man during his visit.
Before think about entering Indonesian market .. please think about below list ;
– please devolope engine far better consumption than vvti and i-vtec as well
– please build more quality and futurelistic interior far better than toyota n honda
– please build design far better than toyota n honda
– please make all of these above with lower price than both two brand ..
otherwise .. please save the money and think about other thing..buat jambatan kaa from melaka to sumatera.. better for both two parties..
It’s disturbing to note that Tun M was surrounded by so many bn running dogs. Why were they there in the first place or was it home coming for indon zahid.
Filepic. But ur right that hes now surrounded by running dogs.
so obvious running dogs bagan datuk der
Is the picture old or new⁇ Umno new president Zahid is one behind Jokowi and then Dr Mahathir…
Don’t be so gullible… its a filepic.
Develop Proton Exora replacement with Indonesia
can i see market price cars before i die…
I can smell tun m cronies..
Google their Indonesian partner PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari, and you’ll find a lot fishy news about this collaboration…
If Proton can export the card to Indonesia, that will be good
At least Proton make a right choice purchasing Lotus, otherwise even Geely won,t lay an eye near to Proton.