>From: "Poltak Hotradero" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [Keuangan] Nasib Mobil Nasional Malaysia... > >Beberapa tahun yang lalu, di milis ini pernah ada diskusi sangat >intens (berlangsung berminggu-minggu) tentang proyek "mobil nasional" >- dan apakah perlu Indonesia ikut membuatnya. > >Tanpa disadari saat ini, sekalipun Indonesia tidak membuat "mobil >nasional" - tetapi negara kita saat ini tercatat sebagai eksportir >mobil untuk kawasan ASEAN, dengan volume cukup baik. Mobil-mobil merk >Honda dan Toyota Kijang produksi Indonesia -- berseliweran di berbagai >kota di kawasan ASEAN. Sementara dalam kerangka pasar bersama ASEAN, >harga sedan Toyota buatan Thailand - menjadi relatif terjangkau di >Indonesia (dan ikut jadi biang macet di ibu kota). > >Lalu bagaimana dengan negara anggota ASEAN yang tetap ngotot bikin >"mobil nasional" sendiri? Beritanya ada di bawah ini... Bagi pemilik >mobil Proton -- tentu perlu ekstra hati-hati... > >Proton May Not Survive on Own After Talks With Volkswagen End >2007-11-20 18:06 (New York) > >By Angus Whitley >Nov. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Proton Holdings Bhd., Malaysia's >unprofitable state-owned carmaker, may not survive on its own >after the government ended talks for a partnership with >Volkswagen AG. > >Malaysia's government investment unit yesterday said it >ended talks for an alliance with Europe's largest carmaker and >General Motors Corp. of the U.S. in order to give Proton more >time to reverse losses. A strategic alliance can be considered >later ``if necessary,'' the agency said. > >``It's a big set back for Proton,'' said Raymond Tang, who >oversees $5.4 billion at CIMB-Principal Asset Management Bhd. in >Kuala Lumpur. ``The company needs new technology from a partner. >They don't have the resources to make it on their own.'' > >Proton, which has reported five straight quarterly losses, >had been looking for a partner to help produce fresh models and >revive sales. While demand for a new Proton rolled out in August >beat company forecasts, that won't be sufficient to allow the >24-year-old carmaker to go it alone, some analysts said. > >``Although management has done a commendable job at turning >around the company, it probably won't be enough,'' said Vincent >Khoo, head of research at Aseambankers Malaysia Bhd. in Kuala >Lumpur. Proton still needs a partner, he said. > >The company lost 589.5 million ringgit ($175 million) last >fiscal year. The search for a partner followed the end of an >alliance with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in 2004, and the loss of >half of Proton's market share to rivals including Toyota Motor >Corp. Proton shares have slumped 25 percent this year. > >New Model > >Still, the new Persona sedan, introduced in August, notched >up 22,000 bookings by the end of October, Malaysian Second >Finance Nor Mohamed Yakcop told reporters late yesterday. Proton, >which planned to sell 4,000 of the vehicles a month, may report >a profit in 2009, Nor said. > >``We must give Proton management the flexibility to move on >and carry out its turnaround plan,'' Nor said. ``We are not >saying there will be no strategic partnership. It's a very >attractive idea, but we also have to look at the interest of the >country.'' > >Protons, driven by taxi drivers across Malaysia, are among >the cheapest cars on offer in the Southeast Asian nation. The >carmaker was set up in 1983 by then-Prime Minister Mahathir >Mohamad as a manufacturing emblem. The Saga saloon is still on >sale more than two decades after the first model was produced. > >Proton's turnaround plan includes offering all its models >in Thailand by the end of November, Nor said yesterday. Proton >aims to sell cars in India and to double exports this year and >next, it said in September. The carmaker in July agreed with >Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing Co. to sell cars in >China. > >General Motors > >The Persona, which was Proton's first new car in more than >a year, may help the automaker return to profit as early as 2009, >analysts at Hwang-DBS Vickers Research Sdn. said in August. >The Malaysian government controls Proton though a 43 >percent stake held by Khazanah Nasional Bhd., Malaysia's state- >owned investment unit. > >Proton and Volkswagen jointly ended the talks, the >Wolfsburg, Germany-based company said yesterday. Initial >negotiations between the two companies collapsed in January last >year after the parties failed to agree on terms, including >control of the maker of Waja and Wira sedans. > >The German automaker will now expand its sales and service >network in Southeast Asia, in particular within Malaysia, it >said in its statement. A partnership with Proton offered >Volkswagen access to a regional manufacturing site. > >General Motors is still interested in Proton, Rob Leggat, a >spokesman for the Detroit-based carmaker, said in an e-mail >yesterday. > >--With reporting by Soraya Permatasari and Manirajan Ramasamy in >Kuala Lumpur and Chad Thomas in Berlin. Editor: T.Jordan (snc) > >To contact the reporter on this story: >Angus Whitley in Kuala Lumpur at +60-3-2160-6801 or ><mailto:awhitley1%40bloomberg.net>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To contact the editor responsible for this story: >Tony Jordan at +65-6212-1150 or ><mailto:tjordan3%40bloomberg.net>[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
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