Failure is not an option for national car company Proton Holdings Bhd, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said, according to the Malaysian news agency Bernama.
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“There is only one choice for Proton… that choice is to succeed, success is your only choice, failure is not an option,” he said at the launch of the new Satria Neo model and the Petronas Centre of Excellence.
Abdullah said this should always be remembered as Proton is the country’s most prominent automotive company.
“Just now when I was asked to record a signature on the visitors book, I thought I must do something a little bit more than just putting a signature down, so I did say that..,” he added.
Abdullah said Proton, as exporter of the national car, is expected to be able to overcome various challenges in the increasingly competitive global automotive industry.
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By GlobalData“Proton has to prove its spirit, excellence and capability to produce quality cars for both the domestic and foreign markets,” he said.
The Prime Minister said with its advanced facilities and research, Proton should be confident of being able to compete and achieve success in the industry.
“After seeing the various facilities at the Proton Centre of Excellence and at its research centre, I am confident that Proton will be able to continue progressing,” he said.
On the newly-launched Satria Neo, the Prime Minister said the latest model proved the capability of Proton in car engineering and development which has improved since its inception.
“Proton has shown that the innovative spirit, technical expertise and intellectual capability can be found in Malaysia and more importantly, among Malaysians,” he said.
He also said that Proton must forge strategic collaborations with foreign manufacturers and seek out new export markets like China, India and the Middle East if it wants to succeed in both the domestic and international markets.
Speaking to reporters at a later press conference, Proton managing director Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said about 10% to 15% of Satria Neo would be exported to Proton’s “traditional markets”, the UK, Australia and Asean countries such as Indonesia and Thailand.
“We expect a big demand for this car, which will raise our (domestic) market share and are putting more initiatives to contribute to raising the demand. The Satria Neo alone won’t do the trick,” he said.
Proton has come under pressure in its domestic market as its market share has fallen in the wake of regional trade agreements that have reduced tariffs on imported cars.
