On April 28, German automotive parts manufacturing firm Continental announced that it would be halting tyre manufacturing operations at its Alor Setar plant by the end of 2025. The closure of the facility, which currently produces passenger car, light truck and motorcycle tyres for the Asia-Pacific market, will affect 950 jobs.
Following that announcement, Kedah MB Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that Continental’s decision to close its Alor Setar plant was a business move and had nothing to do with politics, the New Straits Times reports.
“This is a business manoeuvre. It is a business decision, not because they hate Sanusi. Since when does a tyre manufacturer get involved in politics?” he said in response to a post made on a TikTok channel linking the plant’s closure to him.
“Tyre companies are having a difficult time competing with the price and technology offered by Chinese companies for the passenger car market. That is why Continental is shifting its focus to performance cars and heavy industry vehicles. The company also has a plant in Thailand and decided to consolidate its tyre production there. It has nothing to do with politics,” he said.
Sanusi added that despite the upcoming closure, a new investor has expressed interest in setting up a tyre manufacturing plant in Kedah. However, at the request of the potential investor, he said he could not reveal any details of the plan, due to the sensitive nature of business competition.
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“Tyre companies are having a difficult time competing with the price and technology offered by Chinese companies for the passenger car market.
Surprisingly when China does not grow rubber tree and they are petroleum importer both ingredient required to make rubber while both resources are Malaysia’s Forte welllllll…..we still have Continental PJ in Operational in Selangor means….
Closure Bez of labour and no user friendly environment makes a factory to shut down ,and lies useless things which no one interested,
Kecian geng sanusi kehilangan kerja
Conti also have factory in PJ. Why they close on Kedah but not PJ?
guess which party rules the state in selangor and in kedah ?
thats the answer to why the kedah factory closed while selangor factory operational .
Hundreds of businesses closed since PMX took over. Do they hate PMX?
” Kedah MB Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor said that Continental’s decision to close its Alor Setar plant was a business move and had nothing to do with politics,…
The reasons are…
1. High absenteeism rate
2. High MC
3. Not turning up for work on the eve of, or after public holidays
4. Not punctual
5. Disappear after friday prayers
All the above reaons are because of politicis pushing the ketuanan policies!!
A business cannot run smoothly with the above reasons
Well said. When “ketuanan” policy is prioritized, this is what happens. Not business friendly.
When MB sing, not just ears are closed, evwn factory need to be closed. Takdiirrrr….
Didn’t even share what efforts were done on his end to negotiate them to continue, or worse case how will the welfare of the workers be taken care of.
Probably did none of those la.