Geely has (re)entered Indonesia with the EX5 (Proton eMas 7), which will be locally assembled (CKD) in Bekasi by this year’s second quarter, and there will be 100 sales and service outlets within three years.
The Chinese giant also has plans to launch its full ICE and EV model range in the republic – silhouetted in the slide above are, left to right, Coolray (X50 facelift), EX5 (eMas 7), Monjaro, Okavango (X90 facelift), Xingyuan (eMas 5), Galaxy Starship 7 (eMas 7 PHEV) and another Coolray (special edition?).
All well and good, but when Proton and Geely got married in 2017, the promise then was to use the Proton brand for right-hand drive (RHD) and ASEAN markets, making Malaysia Geely’s regional RHD hub. In 2020, Geely asked Proton to expand into ASEAN markets, especially Thailand and Indonesia.
In 2021, Proton confirmed it would return to both markets – which we know is the only way to get even remotely close to its ASEAN No 3 goal.
Now, four years later – and nearly eight years into the marriage – Geely is in Thailand, Australia/New Zealand, and with today’s news, Indonesia, as itself and not Proton. These are all major right-hand drive (RHD) markets. Geely is rumoured to enter South Africa soon too, with the EX5.
Only last month, the Chinese carmaker reiterated its commitment to Malaysia as its regional production and R&D hub, specifically Tanjung Malim’s Automotive Hi-Tech Valley (AHTV).
It said then it would enter and establish dealer networks in Proton’s non-existent markets, but it proceeded to open a plant in Egypt last week to make Geely-badged cars, starting with the Emgrand and Coolray.
It’s looking more and more like the plan now is to have Proton sell budget cars, like the Saga and other future AMA products, abroad, with the possible exception of South Africa, where the Geely-based X50, X70 and X90 are sold as Protons, Mauritius, where the Proton X90 is sold, and Pakistan, where the Proton X70 is sold.
Proton is also in RHD markets such as Bangladesh, Kenya and Brunei, but they are largely not big markets and it remains to be seen if the Proton brand will continue to be used for EVs moving forward, besides Mauritius, Nepal, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, and possibly Brunei.
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paanjang16
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FrankC
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This is how non ethic cina company is
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tak boleh duduk dgn biforti!
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fadzilli haji Ahmad
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Backstabbed?
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ioma
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under the bus
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Unker Sam
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John Gagal
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That's It!
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Geli Mat
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Geela
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Chinese Partner
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mika
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bieight8
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Hazel
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game
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Lala Land
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Ben Yap
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Bolehland
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Radzi
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DonkeyKong
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Oli
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Matchy
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Harz
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Arif
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tiktok
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Toktik
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munkay
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Bob Mal
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FireAce
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No shame
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alldisc
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Kancil Hybrid
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Ebk
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Amfin
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ThePolygon
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Ahmadx
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Zrevnur117
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Sharon
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eMAS 7 owner
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opmanmy
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abah sakau
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STOP buying Proton S & X models
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kp
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Been Yappin
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AI-generated Summary ✨
The comments reveal a mostly negative sentiment towards Proton’s slow progress, management issues, and its perceived inability to expand effectively in Indonesia and other markets. Many believe Geely's entry into Indonesia and other RHD markets is driven by strategic moves to bypass Proton, with some claiming Geely sees Proton as a burden or is simply using the brand for their own gain. There is criticism of Proton’s perceived inefficiency, poor quality, and failure to compete with Chinese automakers like BYD and Chery. Several comments suggest that Geely has lost confidence in Proton and is moving to establish its own presence independently, possibly leaving Proton behind. Overall, the comments paint a picture of Proton being sidelined or manipulated by Geely, with concerns over its future viability and international competitiveness.