Don't you just love the Old Man

[wkwoo69]

PUTRAJAYA, May 25(Bernama) -- Proton Holdings Bhd adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Wednesday lamented the level of importation of foreign cars so much so that there seems to be no more protection for cars made by the national car manufacturer.The former prime minister said that cars were even being imported from countries which did not allow Proton into their markets."They are freely sold in Malaysia. Here, we find every make of car. You don't see this thing in other countries," he told reporters after attending a function at the Perdana Leadership Foundation here.He said the reason why Proton's share of the market was going down was easy to understand."It is going down because you are importing so many foreign cars. And I believe that to import, you need to have the APs (approved permits). They are giving APs apparently quite freely."The Chinese car is coming, Chevrolet cars made in Korea are here, lots of Korean cars are coming. The idea that we should protect the national car is no longer there," he said.Dr Mahathir said Proton understood that it must compete with other car manufacturers."We should compete, of course, but others are not letting Proton go into their country that freely."We allow them to bring in (cars) freely but when you go to their countries, do you see a lot of Proton cars? No," he said in driving home the point on what Proton was up against.Dr Mahathir also said that Proton cars were not that costly now."If you take away the excise duty and all that, it should be very cheap. But we can't go there (to other markets)."But everybody comes to Malaysia, anybody who wants to sell any car will come to Malaysia," he said sarcastically.

 

[ALBundy]

I do hope local universities will confer him a PhD soon....DR. SPIN! :blink: :blink: :lol:

 

[ALBundy]

And with the recently concluded FTA agreement in Japan, expect more Japanese cars to be available in the local market.

http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.js...79d000-bd9bd7db

Is this for real or just another spin?

http://www.theedgedaily.com/cms/content.js...79d000-807c2f86

 

[jarance]

Bravo... :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo:

Somebody in Proton University confer him a PHD....

I wonder why somebody in his right frame of mind would want to buy a car that is by far so much more expensive than the national car. :dunno: :dunno:

I don't know why other countries don't allow proton to sell their car oversea. could it because they could not pass the safety requirement or they are just don't appeal to buyer.

take UK for example.. Proton have to improve its local version in order for it to be sold in uk.

Recent review of gen-2 by uk local press was not promising even though it have some help from lotus which by the way is uk based.

I really don't know... :dunno: :dunno: :dunno:

 

[Fuhrer]

makes sense if you ask me..nobody will speak out but him! haha..

 

[ALBundy]

If the gomen really implement the recent FTA with Japan (of course we know they may come out with some stupid ideas to make a mockery of the whole thing...let's hope NOT), the end is near for Plotong...read the article...." by 2008 to abolish all tariffs"!!! :yahoo: :yahoo:

""The in-principle agreement would virtually scrap Malaysian duties on imports of large Japanese passenger cars and on Japanese-made car kits by 2008, while Japan agreed to help improve the competitiveness of Malaysia's car industry""

 

[Juan Powerblow]

Go to back pages of UK car magazines and read their comments on Proton cars to have a good laugh. The honest fact and truth is Proton cars just cannot compete with their Korean low-priced counterparts. The more painful truth is discerning car buyers in developed markets rather pay more for better cars than settle for cheaper inferior products. If Proton can't play the game by the rules set by global market forces, it should strive to improve or bail out rather than impoverish valuable resources. Ouch!