Saturday, May 30, 2009

Proton posts RM342mil Q4 loss

Saturday May 30, 2009 Proton posts RM342mil Q4 loss By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU

KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd yesterday announced a net loss of RM341.5mil for its fourth quarter ended March 31 as write-downs and impairments dragged down the company�s financial performance that has already been hurt by a slowdown in sales.

Group chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said Proton�s performance reflected the current global economic condition.



�The softening of the automotive industry arising from the global financial crisis had also adversely affected the performance of the group in the second half of the financial year,� he said in a statement.

For the fourth quarter, Proton posted an 18.4% drop in revenue to RM1.4bil and net profit swung into the red with a loss of RM341.5mil from a profit of RM217.5mil.

�The main reason for the group loss was Proton�s decision for the impairment of property, plant and equipment (PPE) and inventory write-down for certain models impacted by volume contraction,� said Nadzmi.

�Additionally, the results for the second half of the financial year had also been adversely affected by the accelerated amortisation of certain dies and jigs as well as the increased costs of components and raw materials arising from higher foreign currency exchange rates, particularly, the Japanese yen and the US dollar,� he added.

The write-downs and provisions cost Proton RM360mil during the fourth quarter and the company also sold 34,490 cars compared with 40,903 in the same period last year.

Nadzmi added that Proton was now reassessing its production volume after the contraction in sales during the current economic times.

For this financial year, Proton is expected to receive a research and development grant from the Government under the National Automotive Policy amounting to RM81mil.

For the full year, Proton posted a net loss of RM320.3mil, or 58.3 sen a share, compared with a profit of RM184.6mil, or 33.6 sen a share.Revenue for the year rose to RM6.49bil from RM5.62bil previously.

Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said Proton�s balance sheet remained healthy despite the loss and that cash reserves at the end of the quarter stood at RM899.5mil compared with RM1.17bil last year.

�As a fully fledged automotive company, we spent a substantial amount on the development of new models such as the Proton Exora and Lotus Evora during the year. While this had affected our cash reserves, we will be able to recover when the cars are sold,� said Syed Zainal.

The Proton Exora has received bookings totalling 11,000 units.

�The Exora has also given Proton the opportunity to tap into a new segment � the MPV segment, which has a lot of potential and could help improve Proton�s market share and overall volume growth,� he said.

�Following the success of the Exora in the domestic market, we are now planning to launch the MPV in the Indonesian market in July, which has a sizeable middle-class market and is predominantly an MPV market.�

Proton recently reached an agreement with Edaran Otomobil Nasional to rationalise its distribution network that will see the number of dealers reduced to 191 and service centres to 224.

The company said the exercise would allow it to have better branding and improve on its after-sales services.

In addition to expanding the local market, Proton has also put into place a strategic plan to focus on building its export markets.

�Besides having a strategic partnership with Zagross Khodro for the CKD (completely knocked down) assembly of the Wira and more recently the Gen.2 models in Iran, we have also entered into a business relationship with Youngman of China for the CBU supply of our Gen.2 and Persona models, which is sold and distributed in China under Youngman�s Europestar badge, potentially leading to CKD assembly operations,� said Syed Zainal.

�We are also finalising our India strategy by the end of the year and we are indeed excited with these prospects in making Proton cars available and more visible in the overseas markets as this will hopefully enhance our revenue,� he said.

He said exports to foreign markets were expected to improve in the future and represent a significant portion of Proton�s sales.

�In terms of volume, we are aiming at doubling our total sales volume by 2010, of which the bulk will be derived from the export markets,� he said.

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Friday, May 29, 2009

Proton Posts Rm338 Million Group Loss In Fy2008/09

May 29, 2009 21:30 PM

Proton Posts Rm338 Million Group Loss In Fy2008/09

By: Ramjit

-->

KUALA LUMPUR, May 29 (Bernama) -- Proton Holdings Bhd today announced a group pre-tax loss of RM338 million for its financial year ended March 31, 2009, from a pre-tax profit of RM144 million in 2008, mainly due to an exceptional impairment of property, plant and equipment (PPE) and inventory write-down.

Proton's chairman Datuk Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh said the group's performance was reflective of the current global economic conditions.

The softening of the automotive industry arising from the global financial crisis had also adversely affected the performance of the group in the second half of the financial year, he said.

"The main reason for the group's loss was due to Proton's decision for the impairment of PPE and inventory write-down for certain models impacted by volume contraction," Nadzmi said.

"Additionally, the results for the second half of the financial year have also been adversely affected by the accelerated amortisation of certain dies and jigs as well as the increased costs of components and raw materials arising from higher foreign currency exchange rates, particularly the Japanese yen and US dollar," he said.

Proton's group total revenue, however, improved by RM864.98 million to RM6.49 billion in FY2008/09 compared to RM5.62 billion in FY2007/08.

The group sold a total of 156,845 units of cars in FY2008/9 compared to 139,942 units last year, Nadzmi said.

Focusing on the fourth-quarter results for the current financial year, he said Proton reported a group pre-tax loss of RM392 million compared to the pre-tax profit of RM172 million in the same quarter of the previous financial year (FY2007/08).

The substantial loss for the quarter was largely due to the exceptional impairment for PPE and inventory write-down relating to certain models impacted by volume contraction totalling RM360 million and, to a lesser extent, lower domestic sales volume.

The group total revenue for the fourth quarter was down by RM315.4 million to RM1.4 billion for the fourth quarter of FY2008/09 compared to RM1.7 billion posted during the same period in the preceding year.

This was due to lower units sold of 34,490 in the last quarter of FY2008/09 compared to 40,903 in the same period last year.

Nadzmi said the contraction in sales, had resulted in Proton reassessing its production volume in view of the current economic slowdown.

"The comprehensive assessment had resulted in Proton to taking an unprecedented step of impairing its assets and inventory specifically relating to certain models affected by the volume contraction amounting to RM360 million," he said.

For this financial year, Proton is expected to receive a research and development grant from the government amounting to RM81 million, as provided by the National Automotive Policy (NAP).

Proton's managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said that despite the loss, the group's balance sheet remained healthy as its cash reserves stood at RM899.5 million, down from RM1.17 billion last year.

"As a fully fledged automotive company, we spent a substantial amount on the development of new models such as the Proton Exora and Lotus Evora during the year. While this had affected our cash reserves, we will be able to recover when the cars are sold," Syed Zainal said.

As of today, bookings for the new Exora has already reached 11,000 units, he said.

"We are now planning to launch the MPV in the Indonesian market in July 2009, which has a sizeable middle class market and is predominantly an MPV market," Syed Zainal said.

"Besides having a strategic partnership with Zagross Khodro for the CKD assembly of the Wira and more recently the Gen.2 models in Iran, we have also entered into a business relationship with Youngman of China for the CBU supply of our Gen.2 and Persona models, which are sold and distributed in China under Youngman's Europestar badge, potentially leading to CKD assembly operations," he said.

"We are also finalising our India strategy by the end of the year and we are indeed excited with these prospects in making Proton cars available and more visible in the overseas markets as this will hopefully enhance our revenue," Syed Zainal said.

"In terms of volume, we are aiming at doubling our total sales volume by 2010, of which the bulk will be derived from the export markets," he said.

-- BERNAMA

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Thursday, May 28, 2009

Barca fan slashed by rivals

Rapper Muhammad Radzeley Ramlan, 25, sustained slashed wounds on his head and hands in an attack by Man U fans after the match. Barcelona beat the Devils 2-0. Radzeley, a member of the rap group Embassy 47, was at Restaurant MZ Pudu with his brothers and friends to watch the game. It was learnt that during the match, Radzeley's group, which comprised supporters from both sides, traded insults with each other. "We were kidding among ourselves," said Radzeley at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre here, yesterday. "A group of about a dozen Man U supporters seated at a table next to us were watching us. We did not take much notice of them. I was happy that my team won. "As we were walking to our cars later, eight men armed with parang suddenly appeared, shouting at us." Radzeley said the men circled him before the attack. "I could not do anything as I was unarmed," Radzeley said, adding that his friends tried to help but was warned by the assailants to stay away. The men then ran towards their motorcycles and a Proton Satria. Radzeley and his friends gave chase when they noticed that the car had stalled and the occupants had got out to push it. "When they saw us approaching, they abandoned the car and fled into some bushes nearby." Radzeley said he felt weak and only then realised that he was bleeding from his head and hands. His friends rushed him to UKMMC, where he received stitches for numerous slash wounds on his head and hands. "I remember their faces as they sat at the table next to us in the restaurant. It was only a game. If they were disappointed that Man United lost, they should have taken it up with the team, not me. "I'm happy Barcelona won but angry with the assailants. They spoiled a pleasant day." Cheras police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Amir Mohd Hashim said they had identified the owner of the Proton Satria. "We are now tracking him down and the rest of his friends involved in the attack."

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Schwarzenegger praises new Honda fuel cell vehicle

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger championed the qualities of the new hydrogen-powered Honda FCX Clarity yesterday (27th May).The former actor, who already owns a vegetable oil-fuelled Hummer, made an appearance at a Shell petrol station which is the state's first to sell gasoline and hydrogen.Members of the public are being encouraged to test drive 11 fuel cell cars at 28 stops along a 1,700-mile route from San Diego to Vancouver, an event known as the Hydrogen Road Tour.But Mr. Schwarzenegger revealed that it is the new Clarity that has particularly grabbed the attention of his family.He said: "I just got the Clarity, which is a wonderful hydrogen vehicle. We're all fighting over who is driving it. My daughters want to drive it all the time and take it away from me."However, the hydrogen fuel technology will need to overcome a number of challenges after the US government decided to cut funding for research by $101 million to $68 million for 2010.The Obama administration believes that widespread use of hydrogen vehicles is not plausible in the near term, while the lack of fuelling stations - California, for instance, only has 26 - is also a problem.Meanwhile, Proton Motor has announced the signing of an exclusive five-year deal with Deutsche Mechatronics, designed to take its fuel cell products to the market quicker in Germany.Under the terms of the deal, Deutsche will manufacture the company's fuel cell hybrid systems and will eventually aim to improve production capacity to 5,000 units per year per shift.Proton Power Chief Executive Thomas Melczer said: "This contract manufacturing agreement will enable us to prove to our potential customers that we have the immediate capabilities to mass produce and supply our products to them."Furthermore, volume production will reduce the cost of our products and will enable us to more easily accommodate the individual needs of our customers."Elsewhere, UltraCell Corporation has confirmed that it is using $3.8 million of new funds to help boost the production, testing and sales of its flagship XX25 portable fuel cell.The XX25 can power specific laptop computers for eight hours with one 250cc fuel cell cartridge, while also offering weeks of running time for remote video monitoring, surveillance and communications equipment.UltraCell has secured the new funding from current investors BASF Venture Capital GmbH, OnPoint Technologies, Espirito Santo Ventures and Miami Valley Venture Fund."Over the past year we have seen an increase in field use of our XX25 product and success in building our products in our Dayton facility," said UltraCell Chief Executive Keith Scott. "Our founding vision was to bring fuel cells out of the labs and into mass manufacturing - and we're thrilled to be succeeding in this goal."Finally, an annual two-day event began in Ohio yesterday which is designed to provide an opportunity for ideas and successes to be discussed in the state's ever-growing fuel cell industry.The Ohio Fuel Cell Symposium was set up in 2004 when the state was searching for backing for the fuel cell division of its Third Frontier technology grant-making programme. Many of the firms in attendance this year are rolling out new fuel cell-based products across the state, such as Crown Equipment, which has been selling a forklift in the New Bremen region.In addition, Catacel Corporation has been developing catalytic heat-exchange materials and expects fuel cell business to boost its revenue to more than $2 million over the course of 2009.The firm - which has just won a patent for a new, more efficient reactor for fuel cells - is planning to expand its Garrettsville facility in Portage County and take on 20 extra staff.President William Whittenberger told Ohio.com: "The hydrogen and fuel cell industries are at a stage where they have the momentum and energy to accomplish some truly revolutionary things in terms of how they apply their technologies.''Pat Valente, Director of symposium sponsors the Ohio Fuel Cell Coalition, added that the creation of a new fuel cell workforce to support local companies will be discussed at the event.Sources:Schwarzenegger promotes hydrogen fuel in L.A. (27/05/09)Proton ramps fuel cell production with Deutsche Mechatronics deal (27/05/09)UltraCell Adds $3.8 Million in New Funding (26/05/09)Fuel cell industry powering up (28/05/09)© Adfero Ltd

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Thunder Asia Makes The Switch To Mosler For Super GT Sepang

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Thunder Asia Makes The Switch To Mosler For Super GT Sepang

Singapore, May 28, 2009 - The Thunder Asia Racing team made another revelation after announcing its participation at the 2009 Super GT round at Sepang, by announcing that the team would compete with the factory-backed Mosler MT900R race car in the GT300 Class instead of the Toyota Celica previously indicated. The team also confirmed that its Singaporean racing driver Melvin Choo would be partnered with experienced endurance racer Martin Short for the Sepang round on June 21, 2009. With this confirmation, the team would now be officially known as "Thunder Asia Mosler Racing". No stranger to the Sepang Circuit, Short has had his fair share of success with the TVR Team back in 2001 in a consultative role, during the Merdeka Millennium Endurance (MME) race. Under his guidance, the TVR Team took the overall win that year in the grueling 12-hour race. Short is also an accomplished race car driver with his career in motor racing spanning from 1987 till today. Currently a works driver with Mosler, 50 year-old Short has had successes with the Dutch Supercar Champion title in 2008, wins in the British GT Series, Class winner in the Zolder Belcar race, third in the 24-hour Daytona race, amongst others. "Our team is cohesively bullish about getting into the Super GT. Melvin is also delighted with the factory backing from Mosler Automotive and with Martin Short coming on board," says Raja Zaini, Team Manager, Thunder Asia Mosler Racing, who believes that with the full backing from Mosler the team is even more committed for the Super GT and perhaps other endurance races in the long term. "With the Mosler MT900R we can handle more races. We have a great deal of confidence about the car's performance as it is a full works preparation car with the technical support from the factory." The Mosler MT900R race car is made by Mosler Automotive, one of the world's top performance sports car manufacturers. For their race version, the company employs the base MT900 that already has state-of-the-art materials and technologies, and builds on that foundation for total performance far beyond some more expensive sports cars. Working closely with many international racing teams, Mosler is able to continuously enhance their cars' total performance with much success. Currently the Mosler car is dominating the British GT Series and is the top choice amongst teams competing in European and Australia GT Series. About Melvin Choo Kwok Ming Melvin Choo (car number: 69) is the first Singaporean race driver to achieve a remarkable feat of chalking up 30 race participations in 2008, with a total of 7 victories, 8 podium finishes and 5 pole positions in three different cars, Aston Martin, BMW and Porsche, representing accomplishment through expertise. Becoming the Class B winner in the JPM Integra Championship in Malaysia, jumpstart his racing career in Asia in 2006. In 2007, Melvin took part in some of the most prominent races in Asia; FIA Asia Touring Car Series (FIA ATCS), where he finished second in Division 2 and third overall, FIA Asian Touring Car Cup, where he finished second overall and awarded the fastest front wheel driver and JPM Integra Championships, where he was third overall. 2008 is Melvin's breakthrough year where he successfully raced in four renowned high profile events in motorsports; FIA World Touring Car Championships (WTCC), FIA Asia Touring Car Series (ATCS), Aston Martin Asia Cup (AMAC), and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. It is also the year he placed Singapore on the international map of car racing as the first and only South-East Asian to race at the FIA WTCC well known for its stringent qualifying process, and by achieving the rare task of scoring points in his debut FIA WTCC race in Okayama, Japan. About Thunder Asia Racing Thunder Asia Racing is an experienced racing team with a portfolio of more than 10 years of major race participation and more than 72 racing vehicles built to date. The team has participated in 4 of the highest profile race events in Asia, with 3 of the most prolific racing cars in the world (BMW, Aston Martin, and Porsche). The race drivers' cumulative experience totals more than 100 years between them, and has 32 race wins of 52 races throughout the 10 years of competition. The team has past involvements with factory teams for Honda, Proton, and Lotus. Search engines: Melvin Choo site Keyword terms for page: Melvin Choo, Thunder Asia Racing, BMW 320si E90, FIA World Touring Car Championship (FIA WTCC), Aston Martin V8 Vantage N24, Aston Martin Asia Cup (AMAC), Porsche 911 GT3 Type 997 Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia (PCCA), Okayama International Circuit Japan, Guia Street Circuit Macau, Sentul International Circuit Indonesia, Zhuhai International Circuit China, Shanghai International Circuit China, Marina Bay Street Circuit Singapore, F1 Grand Prix GP, etc.

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Speedtech hoping for a better show

Speedtech hoping for a better show

Published on: Thursday, May 28, 2009 Email to a friend     Printer Friendly

Kota Kinabalu: Team Speedtech will be hoping for a better outing at this weekend's Harvest Festival Drag race in Sibuga, Sandakan.

The team based in Penampang who won two second placings last year, will have ten cars competing in all but one category this time round.

Team leader Lee Teck Hong, who carried out the modifications on all the vehicles himself, told Express Sports that the preparation is going smoothly and believed that the team stands a very good chance of winning in their respective categories.

"It is very difficult to predict the final results in drag racing as a lot of factors are involved but we have done the best that we can, to improve and maximize the performance of each vehicles with the budget allowed. I just hope on race day everything will come into plan," he said.

According to him, two Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9s , one Evo5 as well as one Nissan Silvia S15 will be entered for the Sports Cars 4WD category, which is the top event of the race.

In the Group A category there will be two Proton Wira 4WDs and one pickup truck for the race, while in Group B a Datsun Bluebird with a SR20 engine will be competing.

A Honda and a Perodua Kancil will also be competing in the V-Tec and Kancil category respectively.

Most of the vehicles will be driven by the owner themselves.

Lee told Express Sports that he only carries out tuning for friends who are interested in improving their standard engines and his full time job is general repairs for vehicles of all makes especially the upper market models.

"It is purely an interest of mine to modify cars and it is also a challenge for mechanics like us to find ways to produce winning cars to outwit each other on the track."

He also praised STC 's Sports Hobbies Centre for staging such an event as he reckoned such activity is healthy especially for the development of the sport in the State.

Lee added that it also discourages illegal racing on the streets with the proper venue available and the expertise provided.

All the vehicles are expected to leave for Sandakan on Thursday morning and, once there, each vehicle will undergo further testing on the track before further adjustments will be made ahead of the big race.

Meanwhile, organising chairman of the event Chia Chai Ming, when contacted, reckoned it will be a big day out this weekend as more than 70 vehicles have confirmed their participation including eight entries from Brunei.



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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Motor Racing / AFOS: Sepang promises thrills aplenty

And Fahmi Ilyas promises to get over his first-round heartache in Formula BMW Pacific and bring some cheer to what is expected to be the best ever home crowd for the series at the circuit. The 17-year-old Team E-Rain driver was leading the second race in the opening rounds of the Formula BMW Pacific during the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix in March before spinning off. He is now ninth in the championship, but believes he has what it takes to deliver his first victory of the season. "It was really a case of first-time jitters I suppose. Nevertheless, I am very much determined and confident of my chances this weekend. "I am targeting to score as many points as possible and also to get on the podium for all races," said Fahmi. The launch of the event yesterday featured the AFOS Shootout, a 'Man vs Machine' race, where road cycling national champion Fauzan Ahmad Lutfi, riding his time trial bicycle, took on John Shen on board a GT3 Asia Ferrari racing car. Shen was lined on the start/finish grid at the ready, while Fauzan started at turn 15 to get up to full speed. As soon as Fauzan crossed the start/finish line, Shen gunned his engine and started down the straight. The duo finished a few metres down the straight crossing the line in a photo finish. The launch also showcased a mock race between cars from each of the series contested in the AFOS this weekend -- a Formula V6 Asia car driven by Singaporean Hafiz Koh, the Ferrari driven by Shen, a Formula BMW car driven by Fahmi and a Proton Satria Neo R3 road car, driven by R3 test driver Faidzil Alang. The AFOS this weekend features the Formula BMW Pacific, Formula V6 Asia, the GT3 Asia and the Asian Touring Car Series. "Having these four great series and a whole range of side events is our way of making it more than just a race event. "This year, we have very strong partnerships to make the Asian Festival Of Speed even more exciting. With the support of groups like Sepang International Circuit, Turn It Up from Capital FM, Kayu Nasi Kandar and of course, having the NAZA Group on board gave us the chance to create a bigger impact," said Motorsport Asia chief executive officer David Sonnenscher. The organisers yesterday also unveiled Naza Group as the main sponsors of this weekend's event, with the group's chief executive officer SM Faisal SM Nasimuddin stating the company's keen interest in the series, seeing that it ties in with its efforts to provide wholesome experiences to ownership of various levels of cars. Sonnenscher promised fans a different AFOS event from previously, with every need catered for, including various car enthusiast-related shows, 10 deejays spinning music throughout the weekend, while side events at the circuit include the Rally X series and autocross competition.There is a special RM10 pass that allows access to the paddock rooftop, the air-conditioned dining area at the paddock and join in the Pit-Walkabout where they can get up close to the race drivers and their cars and take photos with the AFOS Race Queens.

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Hostage-taker shot dead after car chase

SHAH ALAM: A hostage taker was shot dead after leading police on a chase in Bukit Jelutong here, early yesterday.

Tengku Shareez Tengku Abdul Rahman (left) and Hairril Mohd Hada recounting their ordeal after they were confronted by a robbery gang. Hairril was assaulted, gagged and bound before being taken on a terror ride, with police in hot pursuit. Tengku Shareez Tengku Abdul Rahman (left) and Hairril Mohd Hada recounting their ordeal after they were confronted by a robbery gang. Hairril was assaulted, gagged and bound before being taken on a terror ride, with police in hot pursuit. He was identified as Abu Bakar Ibrahim @ Bakhtiar, 39, who was recently released from the Simpang Renggam detention centre where he had served time for armed robbery. His victim, Hairril Mohd Hada, 31, director of an event management company, escaped serious injury. The drama unfolded at 1.30am when Hairril and a colleague, Tengku Shareez Tengku Abdul Rahman, 25, had gone to a convenience shop in Damansara Perdana. While waiting for Tengku Shareez to come out of the shop, a Proton Wira pulled up behind Hairril and two men, one armed with a revolver, confronted him. "Hairril was bundled into the back seat while one of the suspects took over the wheel. "The robbers then saw Tengku Shareez coming out of the store and one of them fired a shot at him but it missed," said Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar. The robbers then fled the scene in Hairril's Nissan Skyline. Another accomplice followed in the Proton Wira. Tengku Shareez alerted police but in the meantime Hairril was repeatedly assaulted in the Nissan Skyline and was taken to a workshop at an undisclosed location where he was stripped naked before being gagged and bound. Two of the robbers left the scene in the Proton Wira, leaving Hairril alone with the gunman in the victim's vehicle. An hour later, a police team spotted the Nissan Skyline in Bukit Jelutong and gave chase. The driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a road divider in Jalan U5/164. He came out firing his revolver before he was gunned down. Police found two laptops, mobile phones, a wallet and a .22 Smith & Wesson revolver. Hairril's RM11,000 Tag Heuer watch was taken by one of the two other robbers who had earlier driven away in the Proton Wira. Police believe that Abu Bakar was the mastermind of a gang which preyed on owners of luxury vehicles. Two members of the gang -- Shahril Samsudin, 27, and Sivanesan Subramaniam, 30 -- were shot dead in Damansara last week after they had abducted a foreigner. This gang was also believed to be responsible for the abduction and murder of restaurant owner Gan Kau Chin, 51, who was found dead on May 10 at an oil palm plantation in Puncak Alam. Gan and his cousin were abducted in Damansara on May 8 by three men who identified themselves as policemen. The gang was believed to be linked to at least 20 cases of armed robbery in Selangor.

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MD: Perodua has no plans to collaborate with other partners

Wednesday May 27, 2009 MD: Perodua has no plans to collaborate with other partners

KUALA LUMPUR: Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) has no intention of collaborating with other partners to weather the current economic downturn, says managing director Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar.

“Our shareholders are cash rich and we do not need additional funds,” he told reporters on the sidelines at the second Kuala Lumpur International Automotive Conference yesterday.

According to the company’s website, Perodua’s shareholders are UMW Corp Sdn Bhd with a 38% stake, Daihatsu Motor Co Ltd (20%), MBM Resources Bhd (20%), PNB Equity Resources Corp Sdn Bhd (10%), Mitsui & Co Ltd (7%) and Daihatsu (M) Sdn Bhd (5%).

“Our shareholders are also very experienced in the automotive industry. Daihatsu is strong in the compact car segment and Toyota (for which a UMW subsidiary is the distributor) is a successful brand around the world,” said Syed Hafiz.

He also said the company had no plans to manufacture hybrid vehicles.

“We are not going to develop hybrids because it is expensive (to manufacture). Our focus is to be as fuel efficient as possible. We just want to produce cars that can give more miles to the gallon. We can’t be like the rest of the world – when fuel prices go up, they talk about hybrids. But when prices go the other way, they forget about it,” Syed Hafiz said.

On the National Automotive Policy, Syed Hafiz said he was supportive of the International Trade and Industry Ministry’s intention to review it and encourage liberalisation within the automotive industry.

“Liberalisation is inevitable but it should be implemented gradually so that local automotive players will not be put out of business overnight. Thousands of jobs and billions of investments are at stake.”

Meanwhile, Proton Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said he welcomed any party that was interested to form an alliance with the company.

“If there are interested parties, they should approach us and we will assess whether it is good for both the company and the country.

“We never said that our doors are closed and we are interested in finding a strategic partner. It could be Chery (Alado), BMW or Volkswagen, so long as it benefits Proton,” he said.

On Perodua’s multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) which it plans to launch later this year and the impact on Proton’s Exora MPV, Syed Zainal said: “We welcome the competition because it will make us work harder.”



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Hostake taker shot dead by police after car chase

His victim, Hairril Mohd Hada, 31, director of an event management company, escaped serious injury. The drama unfolded at 1.30am when Hairril and a colleague, Tengku Shareez Tengku Abdul Rahman, 25, had gone to a convenience store in Damansara Perdana. While waiting for Tengku Shareez to come out from the store, a Proton Wira had pulled up behind Hairril and two men, one armed with a revolver, confronted him. �Hairril was bundled into the back seat while one of the suspects took over the wheel. The suspects then saw Tengku Shareez coming out of the store and one of them fired a shot at him but it missed,� said Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar. The suspects then fled the scene in Hairril�s Nissan Skyline. Another accomplice followed in the Proton Wira. Tengku Shareez alerted police but in the meantime Hairril was repeatedly assaulted in the Nissan Skyline and was taken to a workshop at an undisclosed location where he was stripped naked before being gagged and bound. Two of the robbers left the scene in the Proton Wira, leaving Hairril alone with the gunman in the victim�s vehicle. An hour later, a police team spotted the Nissan Skyline in Bukit Jelutong and gave chase. The suspect lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a road divider at Jalan U5/164. The suspect came out firing his revolver before he was gunned down. Police found two laptops, mobile phones, a wallet and a .22 Smith & Wesson revolver. Hairril�s RM11,000 Tag Heuer watch was taken by one of the two other robbers who had earlier driven away in the Proton Wira. Police believe that Abu Bakar was the mastermind of a gang which preyed on owners of luxury vehicles. Two members of the gang � Shahril Samsudin, 27, and Sivanesan Subramaniam, 30 � were shot dead in Damansara last week after they had abducted a foreigner. This gang was also believed to be responsible for the abduction and murder of restaurant owner Gan Kau Chin, 51, who was found dead on May 10 at an oil palm plantation in Puncak Alam. Gan and his cousin were abducted in Damansara on May 8 by three men who identified themselves as policemen. The gang was believed to be linked to at least 20 cases of armed robbery in Selangor.

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Fuel Cell Partnership

Imagine a future in which we all drive cars that look and feel just like the ones we have now, but instead of spewing carbon monoxide from the exhaust pipe the only emission is pure water. Sound like a pipe dream? It is already a reality in the form of fuel cell cars.On Friday April 24, the De Anza College Automotive Technology instructor Phil Green took a group of Auto Tech students to the annual open house of the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento.The CFCP is the primary research and testing facility in the state for fuel cell cars, which are usually powered by hydrogen. The hydrogen generates electricity through proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. This powers an electric motor that drives the wheels. The system works like a hybrid car, except no fossil fuel is used and the electric motor is the only drive motor.Unlike conventional electric cars such as the Tesla Roadster, fuel cell vehicles have a range similar to gasoline vehicle and do not have to recharged, although "filling up" at a hydrogen station takes 5 to 10 minutes. According to CFCP Communications Director Chris White, "fuel cells these days are more efficient than batteries, they are electric vehicles you refill instead of recharge."The allure of hydrogen is that it is readily available and abundant in the atmosphere. "It's non-toxic and we've been making it for 60 years," White said. "We make enough everyday, for industrial purposes, to fill up 130 million fuel cell vehicles a day."CFCP engineer Jackie Birdsall took the group for a tour of the sprawling facility, which has permanent garages for several major manufacturers, including VW, Nissan, Toyota, Mercedes, Honda, GM, and Hyundai. In the back is a hydrogen filling station, one of the oldest in the state and one of 26 in California. The continuing battle to popularize fuel cell vehicles lies with increasing the number of fueling stations available to the public, since many of the 26 belong to different agencies for use only with fleet vehicles such as buses.

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Freedom on two wheels

RIZAL SOLOMON gets the inside story on the joys of riding a big bike to nowhere special.

Harris Adam, Haresh Deol and Sunitha Thayaparan share a passion. Harris Adam, Haresh Deol and Sunitha Thayaparan share a passion. Biking Malaysia's usual suspects: (from left) Selvarajan, Cornelius Moreira, Gurwinder Singh, Kelvin Anthony and Mohan Balakrishnan Biking Malaysia's usual suspects: (from left) Selvarajan, Cornelius Moreira, Gurwinder Singh, Kelvin Anthony and Mohan Balakrishnan

MORE than a few times, while you�re driving up and down the highway, you�ll come across a convoy of bikers on their massive bikes roaring past you.Sometimes you think nothing of it. Sometimes you get annoyed at them. Unless you�re part of their fraternity, you�re just looking at the scenario from the outside, and wondering about these chaps.I used to be like that. I used to be the dude who would pass annoyed remarks as they swept past my car.That was before a few of them ended up as my good friends. I�m still not a biker. My road trips are still made with my car. Which is where the genesis of this article lies. It began with a simple question I asked my biker friends and their fraternity: What is it about biking that you love the most? Motoring journalist Chris Wee, 40, responded with �the feeling of escapism, of getting away from it all.�Also, the camaraderie with fellow bikers who share a bond regardless of what we ride � the open road and feeling of freedom it brings.�Most of them gave pretty much the same answer, proving that biking taps into some primal necessity to just cut loose from the maddening urban lifestyle.What more, it is a reason that I can totally get. There is just something about heading out on a little adventure that recharges us. For them, heading out on two wheels provides a level of freedom few things can match. Magazine publisher Cornelius Moreira, 47, adds this freedom is unique and �you�ll never know this unless you�ve ridden a bike.� For the bikers, having some great company can elevate a good road trip into a great one. �It�s nice to ride alone but also nice in a group, granted everyone is on the same page, or as we say same kepala.These are mature riders who have their egos in check!,� said 36-year-old creative director Pravin Menon. But a trip with a group of bikers isn�t so simple as just getting on a bike and heading out into the open road.Planning is a necessity. The way these guys organise and sort through the logistics of a biking trip is impressive.�I think it starts with decent planning � defining and agreeing on the route; marking the rest and meeting points clearly so that riders can ride at their own pace in between and enjoy their ride. Also agreeing on taking turns bringing up the rear just to make sure no one is left behind,� said 44-year-old independent training consultant Sekhar Chakrabarty. �Whilst each rider should bring his own necessities, it�s smart to also co-ordinate on bringing emergency and first-aid gear to avoid unnecessary duplication. �Again, every rider should be responsible enough to have his bike checked to make sure it is in good working condition, especially on long and overnight rides. Breakdowns can put a real dampener on an otherwise great ride,� he elaborated.Their attention to detail in working out a bike trip is an extension of a deeper philosophy as to what makes a good biker.�A good rider is someone who rides within his limits and rides defensively, thereby keeping himself and others out of harm�s way. He�s a biker who takes safety seriously, and gears up appropriately, thereby setting the right example for other riders as well. This type of rider is someone who will stop to help anyone in need; not just another biker,� adds Sekhar.They�re a welcoming bunch, eager for new riders to discover the joy of their passion for themselves.Again, the advice they deliver to those interested in taking up biking is practical, born from countless hours of riding experience.�Get a full B licence, then start small and work your way up. Too many riders are jumping onto big and powerful litre-bikes way too early and getting into trouble because of that. I�d recommend a 250cc for a beginner who wants to get into �big bikes�, followed by a 600cc and so forth,� said Chris Wee.Above all, as Cornelius explains, �Don�t let your ego get the better of you. Start small and move up.� Each biker has a specific route and trip they recall fondly. Some routes are beloved because they are spectacular, and others because they�re filled with memories. As Chris puts it: �All of them have been memorable, there�s always something special about every ride, even if the destination is merely a place called Nowhere Special.�Sekhar, meanwhile, cites the Kuala Klawang to Titi road as being one of the standouts. �It is probably one of the more technically challenging routes in Selangor. Great for those who love the twisties � there�s a good 30km plus of it and in three distinct stages. Each stage presents a slightly different technical challenge, and all require full concentration. �Also, Frasers via Karak and Bentong, and back via Ulu Yam. This is a great combination of the faster Karak, and the much tighter corners of Frasers,� he says.A biker friend tells me that to head out in the morning when the mist is rising from the jungles and into the amazing Malaysian backroads allows your whole mental system to be rebooted.There is a clarity and joy, derived from the fact that the journey itself is more important than the destination. Be it on a bike, car or bicycle or whatever transport you choose, that�s something anyone can relate to.Of course, talk to any biker and he or she will tell you that being on two wheels where you�re not within the confines of a car is an experience unlike anything else.However, being that immersed in your environment has its drawbacks. Each biker has some story about a ride gone wrong, although it�s not a topic you casually bring up. Sekhar�s story is particularly vivid.�The worst crash? Let�s see ... probably the one about 14 years ago when I was coming down the back way from the Gohtong roundabout at Awana heading towards the Ulu Yam Baru-Batang Kali road.�I was negotiating the downhill corners one minute, and waking up in Tawakal Hospital the next!�To this day I don�t know what happened as I had a concussion. My bike and I crashed into the monsoon drain, and I suffered almost total memory loss for those 2-3 hours between the crash and Tawakal. Not knowing what happened was a little scary,� he recalls.Pravin Menon�s crash too was especially graphic.�The most memorable accident would have to be when my RD350 ploughed into a Proton at 100km/h. The car looked like a lorry hit its sides. I was launched a la an F-18 off the deck of an aircraft carrier, clear over the roof of the car,� he said. Talk to enough of them and you realise that biking is a truly Malaysian experience.Biking attracts Malaysians of all races from their 20s to their 60s. They�re out there connecting with each other and often venture off the major highways and into the backroads that intersect the verdant jungles and villages.They meet people, see and experience things that we, comfortable in the cocoon of our cars, seldom do.However, ultimately, it�s more than just about being on two wheels and hitting the road.As retiree and avid biker Peter Ooi, 62, explains it, �it�s just not all about riding but about experiencing life in all its wonders and getting those insights into human nature � and finding your true self.�



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Proton Still Open To Any Beneficial Partnership

May 26, 2009 21:33 PM

Proton Still Open To Any Beneficial Partnership

By: Ramjit

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KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- National carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd is open to any form of partnership, including with China's Chery Automobile Co Ltd, as long as it benefits both itself and the country.

However, second national carmaker Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) said it currently did not need any other partnership.

Proton's managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamad Tahir said it was interested in strategic partnerships regardless the automobile companies.

"If there is interest from any company, including Chery, they have to approach us first. Then we will make our own fair assessment, whether it is good for our strategy and more importantly, what is good for the country," he said on the sidelines of the 2nd Annual Automotive Conference here Tuesday.

He said this when asked to comment on Chery's announcement recently that it was interested to have a strategic pact with either Proton or Perodua in car manufacturing.

"I havent been approached. We are open for any discussion but it must be based on what we need," Syed Zainal said, adding that product and technology was a key area to be considered.

"We are evaluating our whole strategy. But we have never closed our door. What is important is a partnership that will benefit both Proton and the country," he said.

Asked about possible merger and acquisition (M&A), Perodua's managing director Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar said its strategic partners were already cash-rich and it was not in need of any M&A at the moment.

"Daihatsu has got a very strong knowledge of the compact car market and its owner Toyota is top three in the world. So we don't really need M&A at the moment. There is nothing yet," he said.

Meanwhile, Syed Zainal said that Proton will launch a new sedan model with engine capacity above 1.6 litres in collaboration with Mitsubishi in the second half of 2010.

"What is important is that we follow the customer's requirements and taste," he said.

On the competition to Proton's multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Exora from Perodua's oncoming offering later this year, Syed Zainal said the company has its own strategy to maintain market share.

"Proton does not just produce for the domestic market but also for the export market. In July we will be launching it in Indonesia, and then Thailand and the Middle East as well," he said.

Syed Zainal said Proton needed to be forward-looking and not think Malaysia as its sole market.

"Don't think Malaysia is the only market and if there are others, we will be shaken. We need to be very clear of what we want to do," he said.

From next year onwards, Proton will be offering turbo versions of its new models as it keeps tab on customers' preference.

"The Campro turbo programme is for all models that we are going to produce in the future. It is part of our technology development and not just in Malaysia but in other countries as well," Syed Zainal said.

"The fact that we are a global car company, we need to have a programme that is globaly acceptable and turbo is already the norm in Europe," he said, adding that the turbo programme was wholly developed by Proton with Lotus.

"This is part of our engine development and as a car company, we have to continue to do it," he added.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based)  news coverage in our Newswire service.



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Sunday, May 24, 2009

High demand keeps these crooks going

Hence, Hooi sought a supplemental income to meet her RM2,100 monthly rental, keep her three children in school, and maintain a brand new Proton Saga.After much coaxing by close friends, Hooi decided to try her hand at being an illegal lottery bookie. Today, the 45-year-old lives comfortably, thanks to the easy money she derives from being a bookie, giving her a comfortable monthly income of almost RM5,000 -- tax free.Hooi's network has grown extensive by word-of-mouth. Her clients need not come to her shop to place their thrice-a-week bets -- they can do so over the phone.The mother of three is one of many recruited by betting syndicates to operate illegal lottery draws. The syndicates, with their much-touted networks, operate in several states and pay good commissions to people like Hooi, as the income netted from their underground operation is lucrative.Law enforcement officials have begun cracking down on these illegal gambling syndicates, busting several counting centres in Kulim, Bukit Mertajam, Nibong Tebal and Butterworth. Police estimate that the masterminds of the syndicates and their henchmen collected more than RM100 million over the last two years. They can rake in RM200,000 worth of bets for each draw.Although Penang's overall crime rate has declined for the first time in more than 10 years, according to Penang police chief Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakub, organised crime continues to flourish in the underclass and commercial areas of the stateProstitution is widespread in hair salons, karaoke lounges and health centres, whether by night or in broad daylight, with sex workers from China, Thailand and Indonesia.The income derived by these women can be enticing. Each can earn as much as RM1,800 per day if they entertain 20 customers, while the operators pocket RM70 for every customer served for a RM160 "short-game" session.Piracy is also rampant. Just last Thursday, police destroyed more than RM2.16 million worth of pirated CDs, VCDs and DVDs confiscated in raids conducted from 2001 to May this year.Ayub said the 244,323 destroyed discs were from cases investigated, tried and settled in court. Of the total, 58,009 were pornographic VCDs and DVDs, which could fetch up to RM18 each in the market.He said there were still 334,786 pirated discs from 401 cases in 2007, and 284,911 from 344 cases last year yet to be destroyed."Until this month, we have arrested and charged 187 and confiscated 260,012 discs," he said, assuring that the police would continue efforts to end the distribution and sale of such pirated goods. "The demand for pirated discs is high, making it a lucrative business for illegal distributors."The police operate on the premise that distributors belong to syndicates with their own channels, and are linked to criminal triads. "It is hard to identify those behind the syndicates and how they are using the money made from sales of the pirated discs," Ayub said."We hope continuous awareness campaigns and effective enforcement will cripple their activities and eventually put a stop to this culture of buying fake products." The police also recently crippled a car-theft syndicate that was stealing locally-made cars and selling them for a song in remote areas of the northern states. Stolen Proton Perdana, Proton Waja and Perodua Kancil have been disposed of for as little as RM1,000 to RM3,000 -- prices ensuring a ready demand.Ayub acknowledges, too, that Penang remains one of the main gateways for narcotics, judging from the recent seizure of about RM1 million worth of ganja at a holding area for repossessed cars in Butterworth.

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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Electric Car Companies Use Partnerships to Boost Success

By Sarah Lozanova - Sarah Lozanova Developing the electric car, bringing it to market and having it succeed are huge feats. To overcome design and infrastructure hurdles, many automakers are partnering with other organizations. Such collaborations can reduce risk, boost success and speed up the development process for all involved.

Let's examine some of these partnerships:


Ford Motor Company and Magna International Inc.

By creating a strategic partnership with Magna International Inc., Ford accelerated plans to bring an electric car to the market. Although Ford does not possess exclusive rights to the technology, this approach reduced risk and cost. Magna and Ford built a prototype using the compact model of the Ford Focus.

"We strongly believe in collaboration because it drives innovation up and keeps costs down," said Don Walker, co-CEO of Magna International. "Bringing a fully functional electric vehicle quickly to the market that meets customer expectations in terms of cost and performance is a great testament to both our companies' expertise and collaborative efforts."

This all-electric vehicle is expected to drive 100 miles on a charge and does not contain a gas generator to extend the range. Magna will manufacture the electric motor and other major components. Starting in 2011, Ford plans to manufacture 5,000 to 10,000 electric cars annually. Ford has also teamed up with Britain's Smith Electric Vehicles to produce a commercial electric truck for the U.S. market.

Proton Holdings and Detroit Electric 

This partnership between the Malaysian automaker and the Dutch auto company once favored by Thomas Edison has the goal to start production in early 2010 and ramp-up production to 270,000 cars by 2013. This quantity is quite large, compared to plans from other companies for electric car production

"Today's agreement with Proton will put Detroit Electric on the fast track to bring a full line of innovative, practical and affordable pure electric vehicles to the global market," Albert Lam, Detroit Electric's chairman and chief executive, said in a recent statement.

This sedan should hit the European market in 2010 and the US market in 2011 and will cost between $23,000 and $33,000. The smaller version has a range of 110 miles per charge, while the larger version's range is 200 miles.

Nissan and Renault 

This French-Japanese alliance plans to start selling its electric vehicle in 2011 in China before it markets the cars globally. They have also created a partnership with the Chinese government, where they will roll out the electric vehicle in 13 cities and assist with creating a charging infrastructure. Nissan has been working with state and city governments and charging station maker ECOtotality to create an electric vehicle corridor in the U.S. In Israel, Nissan is working with Better Place to create charging stations across the country.

"Nissan believes that zero emissions are the ultimate direction for alternative energy vehicles," says Toshiyuki Shiga, chief operating officer of Nissan in a news release. "We are establishing innovative partnerships with governments, cities and agencies to promote EVs worldwide, and in China we will work closely with our local partners to develop the EV market."

General Motors Corporation

The highly anticipated Chevy Volt was developed in-house. The $750 million GM invested in developing the Volt may not payoff immediately, but may earn the company considerable prestige.

The car has an all-electric range of 40 miles. A gas generator produces electricity and extends the range of the vehicle by an additional 300 miles. The Volt should be ready in late 2010 and may be capped at 10,000 vehicles in the first year. Thereafter, production will be ramped up to 100,000 or whatever the market can support.

The Volt has officially partnered with Goodyear Tires to reduce rolling resistance and boost energy efficiency. Compared to the depth of the other partnerships for producing electric cars, GM is essentially flying solo with the Volt. The gas generator however makes Volt owners less reliant on electric vehicle infrastructure, thus partnerships in this area are less vital.

Image courtesy of Ford.



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Friday, May 22, 2009

Bentley, Porsche and Rolls Royce sign up to 'green' scrappage scheme

The manufacturers of some of the most-polluting cars on British roads, including Bentley, Porsche and Rolls Royce, have today signed up for the government’s scrappage scheme, an initiative described as ‘green’ because it aims to replace older vehicles with new, fuel-efficient models.



In theory it means someone who scraps a 1999 Volkswagen Lupo TDi 3L, (81g CO2/km) and buys a 2009 Bentley Arnage (465g CO2/km) would receive a £1,000 taxpayer-funded payment. The Bentley produces over 5 times as much CO2 as the smaller car.

Director at the Environmental Transport Association ( ETA ), Andrew Davis, said: “Buying a green Bentley does not make this scrappage scheme environmentally-friendly”

The

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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Proton R3 Set To Take Inaugural Sepang 1000Km Race

May 21, 2009 15:36 PM

Proton R3 Set To Take Inaugural Sepang 1000Km Race

By: Ramjit

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KUALA LUMPUR, May 21 (Bernama) -- Spurred by their victorious collaboration at the Sepang 12-hour Merdeka Millennium Endurance Race (MME) last year, Team Proton R3 and X1-R are joining forces again, this time at the inaugural Sepang 1000km Race to be held at the Sepang Circuit from June 4-6.

Team coordinator Najmi Razak said Proton R3 and X1-R would be using a Proton Neo R3 and Proton Gen2 R3 machines for the race.

"We are still finalising the drivers' list but they will be led by Malaysia's top saloon car driver and Proton R3 test driver Faidzil Alang for sure," he said in a statement here today.

Winner of the MME overall title in 2008 in a Proton R3 Lotus Exige 300RR with Tengku Djan Ley and Damien French of Australia, Faidzil won Class B last year in a Proton Neo R3, partnering former Proton Production Car Championship winner Mohd Hafizy Hafiz and Shafique Ali.

Najmi said the two race cars were being built fresh with last year's winning car being used for testing and reference.

"Basically, we have not done any major work for the Sepang 1000km race except for installing a newly developed Campro engine," he added.

While the engines are being installed with new components to increase performance by up to 15 per cent, Najmi said the other emphasis given in the cars' development was durability and reliability of the engines.

"The race will run about nine hours. So, it is vital to give confidence to the drivers to push hard throughout the race. No major changes on the chassis... just some small additional adjustments.

"The team is really looking forward for the battle as we are made to understand that all of the local drivers will be taking part, apart from the Australian and Singaporean drivers.

"We are ready for the challenge and are now working on improving further the pitstop routines and upgrading the pit equipment and tools," he said.

-- BERNAMA

We provide (subscription-based)  news coverage in our Newswire service.



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Proton Saga to make Australia debut early 2010

Proton Saga Photo

The Proton Saga will be entering the Australian market in early 2010. Proton will sell the Saga with a 1.6 liter Campro engine, an engine size up from the 1.3 liter consumer version we get here.

Proton Cars Australia says the Proton Saga will be Australia’s cheapest sedan, which won’t necessarily mean it will be Australia’s cheapest car as most cheap cars are 5-door hatches, which would not lay claim to the cheapest sedan title.

According to Proton Cars Australia, there are currently 25,000 Protons on the road down under right now and hopefully the new Saga will increase those numbers.

While a 1.6 liter version of the Proton Saga isn’t officially on sale in Malaysia yet, there have been classifieds ads appearing all over (such as this) advertising limited units of a Saga 1.6 for sale. The specs include a 1.6 Campro IAFM engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The ads also say it is only available in solid red which leads me to believe these are the taxi cars being sold to consumers who want it.

Prices range from between RM39k to RM43k from what I’ve seen and the equipment is minimal, with steel wheels and no airbags, but there are front power windows.



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Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Proton Announces Plans to Expand with Australia's Lowest Priced Car

Proton Cars has announced a revitalised assault on the Australian car market and has signalled it will launch Australia's lowest priced sedan, which it believes will be the perfect answer to the current financial climate.

In early 2010 Proton will launch Australia's lowest price sedan and is redoubling its efforts to rebuild and refresh its dealer network across the country.

The company has severed ties with almost half its existing dealers and is now recruiting new high calibre dealers to broaden the reach and service levels for Proton customers.

Managing director of Proton Cars Australia, John Startari, admits that the marque has not performed to expectations, however the resources and backing have now been committed by parent company Proton Cars Berhad to drive the brand forward in Australia.

"The centre piece of our plan is to recruit the best dealer network available, we are not going to expand at all cost, it will be a matter of only signing dealers who are committed and eager to be a part of growing the brand," said John Startari.

"Product, pricing and marketing support have received major boosts to ensure that we have the tools to take Proton to the market," he said.

"Australia's lowest cost sedan will be the cornerstone of our range and Proton will present a value for money proposition from the entry level model to the sporty Satria.

"We will launch a revitalised range with the low cost sedan at a price and specification level that will make it hard to ignore in the market."

"It will be significantly different to the current Savvy, it is the same car that was launched in Malaysia recently as the Saga, it is a sedan and is powered by a 1.6 litre Campro engine in place of the 1.2 litre engine in the current Savvy," he added.

The company will not announce the pricing or the name of the new car until the launch, however Mr Startari says its price, equipment levels and overall value for money will make it a contender in the small/light car class.



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Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Group: Set up council to regulate automotive eco-system

Wednesday May 20, 2009 Group: Set up council to regulate automotive eco-system

KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Dealers Association Malaysia (Peda) yesterday called for the setting up of a statutory automotive council which will regulate and administer any new or revised governmental policy pertaining to the automotive eco-system.

Any issue which is related to the automotive eco-system should be referred to the proposed automotive council, the association said in a statement yesterday.

So far, there was no statutory body that represented the interest of the automotive eco-system although the motor vehicle industry was a significant sector that contributed substantially to the country�s economic growth, acting Peda president Armin Baniaz Pahamin said.

�In the absence of a statutory council to represent the automotive eco-system, the motor vehicle industry will be weaker and will continue to deteriorate,� he said.

Citing the recent proposal by the General Insurance Association of Malaysia on direct rebate for motor insurance, he said the proposal which was approved by Bank Negara, would actually see motor vehicle dealers losing more than 20% income.

�The proposal will destroy the automotive eco-system, specifically the motor vehicle dealer�s network. Motor insurance is an important segment of the automotive eco-system,� Armin said.

He said currently all new and used car dealers were general insurance agents and motor insurance premium generated by car dealers were in excess of RM1mil per annum per agency.

He said these premiums subsidised the increasing overhead cost as well as determine the break-even profitability of car dealers, especially during an economic crisis.

He said bypassing agencies with a direct rebate to customers would contribute to a higher unemployment rate and further weaken the automotive eco-system.

Referring to the motor vehicle industry as �bank dominated market,� Armin said without bank facilities for car vendors and dealers and hire-purchase end-financing for car buyers, the motor vehicle industry would fail.

�Currently, banks are already forcing dealers to switch to their own insurance company by imposing hefty penalties and higher interest on banking facility that does not subscribe to the relevant insurance company,� he said. � Bernama



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Proton To Launch Australia's Cheapest Car, Revamp Dealer Network

proton_saga_01Proton has announced that it intends to sell the cheapest car in Australia early next year, which will become the ‘cornerstone’ of the Malaysian company’s local lineup.

With support from its Malaysian owners, Proton will also be rebuilding its Australian dealership network.  It has cut ties with around 20 of its existing dealers, and a new network of between 45 and 50 dealers will be set up by the end of the year.

This is planned to better position the Proton brand in the market for the introduction of its un-unnamed budget sedan.

proton_saga_02The car will be based upon the Malaysian-market Saga, and will be powered by a 1.6 litre Campro inline four. Precise specification, retail price and even the car’s name won’t be known until it launches in early 2010, but Proton’s PR head Jon Thomson tells us it won’t sell for any less than $10,000. A Tata Nano it ain’t.

The new entry-level model should revitalise Proton sales here, particularly as the ongoing financial crisis continues to squeeze motorists out of larger cars and into smaller vehicles.

“We will launch a revitalised range with the low cost sedan at a price and specification level that will make it hard to ignore in the market,” said Proton Cars Australia Managing Director, John Startari.

“Australia’s lowest cost sedan will be the cornerstone of our range and Proton will present a value for money proposition from the entry level model to the sporty Satria.”



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Proton Announces Plans to Expand with Australia's Lowest Priced Car

MILPERRA, AUSTRALIA – May 18, 2009: Proton Cars has announced a revitalised assault on the Australian car market and has signalled it will launch Australia's lowest priced sedan, which it believes will be the perfect answer to the current financial climate.

In early 2010 Proton will launch Australia's lowest price sedan and is redoubling its efforts to rebuild and refresh its dealer network across the country.

The company has severed ties with almost half its existing dealers and is now recruiting new high calibre dealers to broaden the reach and service levels for Proton customers.

Managing director of Proton Cars Australia, John Startari, admits that the marque has not performed to expectations, however the resources and backing have now been committed by parent company Proton Cars Berhad to drive the brand forward in Australia.

"The centre piece of our plan is to recruit the best dealer network available, we are not going to expand at all cost, it will be a matter of only signing dealers who are committed and eager to be a part of growing the brand," said John Startari.

"Product, pricing and marketing support have received major boosts to ensure that we have the tools to take Proton to the market," he said.

"Australia's lowest cost sedan will be the cornerstone of our range and Proton will present a value for money proposition from the entry level model to the sporty Satria.

"We will launch a revitalised range with the low cost sedan at a price and specification level that will make it hard to ignore in the market."

"It will be significantly different to the current Savvy, it is the same car that was launched in Malaysia recently as the Saga, it is a sedan and is powered by a 1.6 litre Campro engine in place of the 1.2 litre engine in the current Savvy," he added.

The company will not announce the pricing or the name of the new car until the launch, however Mr Startari says its price, equipment levels and overall value for money will make it a contender in the small/light car class.

Mr Startari said that Proton is here to stay and has a solid base on which it can build its future expansion.

"Proton Cars has an established infrastructure in Australia which we have refined and tuned over the past ten years, we have low overheads and a small but highly skilled workforce factors that will help drive the brand forward," he said.

"We have already recruited a number of new dealers and they have told us that many have considered taking on other low cost brands but did not want to take the risk with brands that do not have an established record in Australia," he added.

"Lotus handling and engineering, high levels of safety and equipment as well as the fact that Proton has stuck it out in this country are advantages that our new dealers have told us gave the brand appeal," he said.

"There is a car park of around 25,000 Protons on Australian roads, the marque has been established here for 14 years and it's now time to take the brand to a higher level," Mr Startari concluded.

Proton, was established in 1983, and is Malaysia's largest manufacturer of automobiles. With operations in key markets including the UK, Western Europe, the Middle East and across South-East Asia and Australasia. Proton produces a range of cars from versatile and reliable four-door family sedans to sporty three-door hatchbacks and utilities, and is also the parent company of world-renowned sports car maker, Lotus.

Proton brand is accelerating its learning curve through technology transfer with strategic partnerships and technical collaborations.

Proton's promise is to be a marque which builds cars with passion and soul, which are a delight to drive and a pleasure to own.



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Monday, May 18, 2009

Revolution Wheels adds Geoff Jones for tarmac test

Revolution Wheels adds Geoff Jones for tarmac test Former Nissan and Proton works driver Geoff Jones will return to the top flight of British rallying when he contests the Jim Clark International Rally as part of the Revolution Wheels Rally Team this weekend. Jones, who forged a name for himself with a number of giant killing performances at the wheel of a Nissan Micra kit car in the mid 1990's before driving for Proton in the British Championship, has concentrated on his highly successful rally preparation firm, Geoff Jones Motorsport, recently but will switch roles for this weekends high speed tarmac test. Jones has not competed since last years Plains Rally where he finished third overall in a Ford Focus World Rally Car, but prior to that had been out of competition for nearly 18 months. Despite this, Jones is confident that he can 'shake off the cobwebs' and be competitive on the Duns' based event. “I might not have done too many rallies recently but I do a lot of testing and setup work for my customers anyway and so am confident that it won't take long to get up to speed,” he said. “I have to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in getting me out on the Jim Clark this weekend, not least of all Warren who has pulled out all the stops to make this happen. Team principal Warren McKiernan is understandably pleased about having Geoff in the car.“No-one knows a Subaru as well as Geoff does, and I am confident that he will be near the pace from the word go,” he said. “The Jim Clark is a tricky rally and we're not expecting him to go out and win the event, but some team points has to be the target!” The Revolution Wheels Rally Team will run two cars for the Jim Clark International Rally this weekend. Whilst Geoff Jones replaces the absent Rob Swann, who is away competing in Barbados, the second car will once again be piloted by local driver Euan Thorburn.by Geoff Mayes

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Car scrappage scheme launches today

would be split if the dealer and the manufacturer shared the cost.

How will the scrappage scheme work?



To prevent people from taking advantage of the scrappage scheme by buying an old banger in order to then trade in the money, applicants must have been the registered keeper of the car that is due to be scrapped for at least one year.

The scheme will run until March 2010.

Is the scrappage scheme green?



Scrappage schemes are often described as environmentally friendly because they get older vehicles off the road by scrapping them and replacing them with the latest models, but studies have found that these schemes have a relatively high cost per tonne of pollution avoided.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development found that “these schemes have a high average cost per ton of pollution avoided, and do not compare favourably with other alternative policy tools on purely environmental grounds.”

The British scheme assumes that the new car is less polluting than the one it replaces and overlooks the environmental impact of scrapping the old car and building the new one.

Car scrappage – a waste of perfectly good cars



A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association ( ETA ) said: “There are lots of 10-year-old cars with plenty of life left in them and from a climate perspective, to send them to the scrap heap is money poured down the drain.”

“Car scrapping schemes are good for boosting new car sales – they have very little to do with the environment and to suggest otherwise is not just greenwash, it is hogwash.”

Protests against car scrapping schemes



When no limit on the CO2 emissions of the new model is set, It means that in theory someone who scraps a 1999 Volkswagen Lupo TDi 3L, (81g CO2/km) and buys a 2009 Porsche Cayenne Turbo (358g CO2/km) would receive the taxpayer-funded payment.

There are scrappage schemes already in place across Europe. The German campaigning organisation

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MITI Hopes To Finalise Review Of NAP By Q3

May 18, 2009 20:52 PM

MITI Hopes To Finalise Review Of NAP By Q3

By: Ramjit

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SHAH ALAM, May 18 (Bernama) -- Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Mustapa Mohamed Monday said the government hoped to finalise the review on the National Automotive Policy (NAP) by the third quarter of this year.

The NAP was introduced in 2006 in an industry involving not less than 150,000 people in the areas of automotive production, sales, distribution and financing.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the assembly line of Proton EXORA, at Proton's factory here today, Mustapa said he had also sought input from Proton on the NAP.

The new NAP would have a clear policy for the future of Proton and other companies including component manufacturers, vendors and distributors.

Asked if any weaknesses had been identified in the existing NAP, Mustapa said that it was not so much weakness but more about refining and improving on the present policy.

With the economy going through a difficult period now, there is a need for the Malaysian automotive industry to build its capacity, he said.

"We got to position ourselves to meet future challenges and we know in some major countries that have been right-sizing, there has been reexamination of strategy. So whatever we do, we should be in line with current global development," he said.

Mustapa said among the feedbacks the ministry received was the need to identify which manufacturers qualified as producing national cars and therefore qualified to obtain the incentives provided by the government.

Another issue to tackle is the existence of Asean made cars brought into the domestic market with five percent import tax, he said.

Previously, there were no different policies for cars manufactured or assembled in Asean countries and for cars imported from Europe, he said.

Touching on the reform of Approved Permit (AP) permit, he said his ministry was embarking on a second round of audit of the implementation of AP before revising the policy.

Last year, he said MITI has conducted a survey on AP in the third quarter of last year and a number of findings has been highlighted to the ministry.

"Hopefully by the third quarter of 2009, we would come out with our position on the AP," he said.

He also said that Proton is ready to face the competition in the international market and was already a competitive car maker.

To a question on the response from the public to scrap older vehicles more than 15 years in order to get RM5,000 discount for buying new national cars, Mustapa said so far only 5,000 people had taken up the incentive.

"That number is a bit on the low side and the government has asked Proton and EPU, to see how we can encourage car owners to come forward," he said.

Meanwhile, Proton Holdings Bhd Managing Director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said Proton and its dealers would increase the promotion of the car srapping program.

Touching on the local automotive industry scenario, Mustapa said for the first three months of this year production of total passenger vehicles decreased 15.3 percent to 102,328 units from 120,844 units in the corresponding period of 2008.

Production of commercial vehicles also declined by 1.8 percent to 11,681 units in January to March this year from 11,900 in the first three months of last year.



-- BERNAMA



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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Scrappage scheme launched today to benefit poorer drivers, says AA

The vehicle scrappage scheme which starts today will not only pump an extra £2 billion turnover into the UK’s ailing car sector but give the country’s most disadvantaged and unprotected drivers a lift, fresh AA research reveals.

An AA/Populus panel survey of nearly 15,000 AA members last week found that younger and lower-income drivers are most likely to take up the offer.

Asked if they had definitely decided or considered buying a new car under the scheme, 20% of 18-24 year olds said they would take advantage of the government programme. This compares to 11% of drivers overall, with women more interested than men at 13%.

The 1% of respondents (equivalent to 300,000 drivers) who say they will ‘definitely’ scrap and buy new doubles among the group that includes semi or unskilled workers and pensioners. Even if 1% of motorists take up the scrappage scheme offer, the £300 million set aside by the Treasury will be over-subscribed.

53% of respondents did not qualify for the scheme as they did not have a car ten years old or older.

Motorists will be allowed to choose from the 38 manufacturers taking part in the scheme covering all the major brands, including Allied Vehicles, Bentley, BMW, Chevrolet, Citroen, Daihatsu, FIAT, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Isuzu, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, London Taxis International, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, MG Motor, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Perodua, Peugeot, Porsche, Proton, Renault, Rolls Royce, SAAB, SECMA UK, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen, Volvo, Koelliker UK Ltd, Iveco Ltd, Chrysler, Renault Trucks UK Ltd.

Visiting a car dealership Business Secretary Peter Mandelson said: “I am delighted by the response of the motor industry. Thirty-eight companies have signed up - all the major UK car manufacturers and a number of other companies. This means more choice for consumers and a boost for British brands.

“The scheme has been met with a flood of enquiries from customers. It will provide a boost to the industry and kick-start sales.”

The £2,000 grant is made up of £1,000 from government with matched funding from vehicle manufacturers. The scheme will operate until March 2010 or until the government funding has been exhausted.

Edmund King, AA President said: “In one go, the scheme will transform the chances of survival in a crash for thousands of car owners whose current old cars would only have two-star crash test protection under Euro NCAP compared to the average four or five-star protection of newer models. Younger drivers, carrying several passengers, in older cars, are most at risk on the roads and seem most keen to participate in the scrappage scheme.

“This scheme has the potential to bring brand new car ownership to some of the UK’s most disadvantaged drivers for the first time. In effect the £2000 incentive can act us a deposit against loans for many less-well–off drivers.”

But not all motoring groups are as enthusiastic about the scheme.

Ultra-light vehicle manufacturer and importer Aixam Mega says the trade-in plan discriminates against some motorists and works against the government’s own plans to encourage the use of electric vehicles.

Following meetings at the Department for Transport, Aixam Mega has been informed that ultra-light vehicles – including those with electric, petrol or diesel-powered engines – will not be eligible for a £2000 discount under the scrappage programme.

Lawrence Holland, general manager of Aixam Mega, said: “The government is missing a big opportunity to put more electric vehicles onto the roads of UK towns and cities.

“The only electric vehicles currently available to most motorists have been specifically excluded from the scrappage scheme.

“In addition, the UK still has a significant number of older motorists who do not hold licences to drive traditional cars, and who are therefore still driving old polluting and worn-out three wheelers.

“Parts are no longer available for these, with the result that they are becoming less and less reliable, and less safe.

“In addition to its electric vehicle range, Aixam Mega produces petrol and diesel-powered ultra-light vehicles that three-wheeler drivers can trade up to, improving their own safety and reducing their vehicle emissions.

“A re-think on its scrappage scheme policy would help the government to get more potentially unsafe and polluting vehicles off the road, and also boost its plans to increase electric vehicle use.”



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