Proton should expand global footprint, increase exports to Europe, South America – PM Anwar Ibrahim

Proton should expand global footprint, increase exports to Europe, South America – PM Anwar Ibrahim

Malaysian carmaker Proton has been called upon to expand its global presence, prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said in his speech at the launch of the Proton EV plant in Tanjung Malim today.

Anwar emphasised the importance of leveraging Malaysia’s international relationship to market Proton cars globally, in particular at the upcoming 47th Aesan Summit where the prime minister wants the national carmaker to showcase its electric vehicle models.

“Apart from our Asean compatriots like China, South Korea, India, and Japan, more countries will attend. Presidents from Brazil and South Africa will also [be present]. We want to bring the heads of states and delegates from the participating countries to see for themselves the capabilities, performance, and technology of Proton, so that we can penetrate their market,” the prime minister said.

Anwar expressed gratitude to China for sharing technology with Malaysia especially in the automotive industry. “Their readiness to allow the transfer of technology at various levels gave opportunities to our youth to create our own products,” he said.

The Malaysian prime minister also hoped that EV models from Proton can be priced lower for the needs of the middle-income group, and said that he was informed that prices can be reduced to a competitive level, and meet the needs of car buyers with lower income.

Newly launched today, the Proton electric vehicle plant in Tanjung Malim was constructed at a cost of RM82 million and has a first-phase capacity of 20,000 vehicles a year. This can be increased to 45,000 units annually, depending on demand from local and overseas markets.

Output from this plant begins with the eMas 7, which first arrived on the market as a CBU import from China, and this will be joined by the smaller eMas 5 later on.

AD: Drive the Proton model of your dreams. Submit your details and Proton PJ will get in touch with you.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

Certified Pre-Owned - 1 Year Warranty

10% discount when you renew your car insurance with us

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services. You can also pay with instalment using Grab PayLater or Shopee SPayLater.

Renew Car Insurance

Mick Chan

Open roads and closed circuits hold great allure for Mick Chan. Driving heaven to him is exercising a playful chassis on twisty paths; prizes ergonomics and involvement over gadgetry. Spent three years at a motoring newspaper and short stint with a magazine prior to joining this website.

 

Comments

  • SCion on Sep 04, 2025 at 4:37 pm

    proton tell geely he wants to make LHD car?

    Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • Dr.Li Chun Rong on Sep 04, 2025 at 7:52 pm

      Geely is just wayang..treating Tanjong Malim as a glorified showroom.
      Secretly..but open secret now…setting huge hubs in Indonesia and Thailand for exports.
      The next PM can talk 3 n 4, Protong will remain a small hub.You think the Dr Li Shu Fu is stupid?
      DRB is hardly breaking even..whereas Geely is paid handsomely for huge royalties for each new rebadge.

      Thumb up 18 Thumb down 3
      • 4G15 FTW on Sep 04, 2025 at 11:55 pm

        Yes, stupid Geely. We don’t want rebadged X50, S70 bla bla blsa. Bring back Wira with the superb magma 4G15. We Malaysian only deserve Wira, Iswara, so that can protect our glory Proton.

        Thumb up 7 Thumb down 2
  • Hu Wer on Sep 04, 2025 at 4:46 pm

    Like how Chery’s tech backs Jetour, icaur, Jaecoo & Omoda, Geely’s global engineering gives Proton its credibility. This partnership is the key to going global.

    Anwar is right. This partnership builds Malaysian capability. Proton’s global success is built on Geely’s engineering, not in spite of it.

    Thumb up 7 Thumb down 24
    • Gomorrah on Sep 07, 2025 at 2:10 pm

      Yeah and Geely is going to use a Malaysian brand with no pedigree to sully their own brand? Why on earth would any company do that? This isn’t the case of a better performing Malaysian brand taking over a lesser known brand like the Chinese examples you have given. If Geely uses Proton, they’d have to overcome all the hang ups and port reputation people have with Proton in the markets they used to be in and any they want to expand in to. Not a way to build confidence in Geely long term.

      Geely is just using Proton to grab the real estate holdings and build Geely cars for local and export market. Talk about bargain basement price for premium land. Eventually Proton will be shut down. The same way GM did to some brands in their stable after GFC. Watch and see what happens when a certain centenarian departs this earth. Think this gomen looking after local interest ah…think again.

      Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Every PM keep repeating the same story but the margins proton make locally is so huge it makes no sense to sell overseas and make thin margins. Our protection barrier is too high inlike in south korea when they started and in japan where tariffs f imported cars are just 20% more than local cars..

    Thumb up 15 Thumb down 2
  • Kony Chée Wah on Sep 04, 2025 at 6:12 pm

    Senang saja bikin badge sama grill

    Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  • FrankC on Sep 04, 2025 at 6:26 pm

    Dear PMX, competition in automotive industry have changed. it is all about automotive company’s supply chain efficiency. it is important that Proton’s own supply chain achieve global competitiveness. maybe not all of them but gradually get upgraded to be good enough to enter Geely supply chain. make parts for Geely. Then Proton will survive. The value from this will be as good as proton presence in global market.

    Thumb up 4 Thumb down 10
  • Sabri on Sep 05, 2025 at 4:44 am

    Jangan mabuk

    Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Geebai on Sep 05, 2025 at 9:08 am

    Geely: No

    Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Sabrina on Sep 05, 2025 at 9:54 am

    Geely isn’t interested in building up Proton to be a global automotive supplier. They are only interested in selling to Proton’s protected market in Malaysia.

    Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • Pandai Boi on Sep 11, 2025 at 10:37 am

      But proton sales is up in a few countries such as South Africa. Geely pushes Proton in some countries too

      Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kea Was on Sep 05, 2025 at 1:46 pm

    Firstly ask the boss Geely already or not. Then isn’t Europe and South America mainly all is LHD and Geely has more models to pick from what does Proton has apart from rebadging and how to compete?

    One just love cronies companies trying to break even.

    Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • alldisc on Sep 06, 2025 at 3:00 pm

    Why not proton sells the patent ownership of its saga and persona and iriz to any interested company from indonesia, thailand, india or the philliphines? If proton finds it hard to sell cars there because of lacking in brand image, perhaps letting other people rebadge the past proton cars (no doubt with different looks and update features including safety aspects) may help proton get paid from royalties and thus breath a healthier financial air.

    Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required