Thursday, April 21, 2011

Proton ready for FTA, auto sector liberalisation

PUTRAJAYA: National carmaker PROTON HOLDINGS BHD [] will be ready for the challenges and opportunities when the planned liberalisation of the domestic automotive industry and various free trade agreements (FTAs) come into play, said Proton Edar Sdn Bhd CEO Mohamad Shukor Ibrahim.

"We recognise that the market is going to be liberalised and there is a lot of ongoing activity in the company to enhance processes, operations, product quality, sales and services.

"We take the challenge. We will do what is necesary," Shukor said to a question at a press conference on Thursday, April 21 after launching the ATF-XP3 automatic transmission fluid for Proton cars

The ATF-XP3 is the first lubricant based product following a collaboration between Proton and Petroliam Nasional Bhd.

With the FTAs, Shukor also said that Proton was capable of collaborating with partners in Japan and China to supply parts given Proton's competitive cost structures, adding that the FTAs should not only be viewed as endangering domestic carmakers.

The various FTAs signed between Malaysia and Japan, South Korea and China respectively will come into effect by 2019, giving foreign car companies access to Malaysia from foreign car companies equal treatment accorded to cars imported from Southeast Asia.

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