From Malaysiakini by P Gunasegaram:
... another national car project would be a colossal mistake. It would distort the car market further because such a car cannot be economically produced and will result in even higher taxes on other cars.
Proton was one of Mahathir’s huge failures when he was prime minister from 1981 to 2003 costing taxpayers an additional RM360 billion at least in taxes since the first Proton rolled out in 1985.
As a matter of urgency, one of the new policies of the Pakatan Harapan government should be to forge ahead with a phased rationalisation of the car industry so that there will be no taxes on cars. This was done in Australia several years ago. This article explains it in more detail.
Despite a public outpouring of resistance against a third national car project, Mahathir is recalcitrant and still seems set on his pet project and reviving this failed, outdated policy of his yet again. He said he discussed with the Indonesian president the concept of an Asean car on his recent visit there.
Considering the abysmal state of cooperation within Asean and all the difficulties of the car industry, this will be a road to perdition if implemented. We are already suffering for 33 years already.
Proton was one of Mahathir’s huge failures when he was prime minister from 1981 to 2003 costing taxpayers an additional RM360 billion at least in taxes since the first Proton rolled out in 1985.
As a matter of urgency, one of the new policies of the Pakatan Harapan government should be to forge ahead with a phased rationalisation of the car industry so that there will be no taxes on cars. This was done in Australia several years ago. This article explains it in more detail.
Despite a public outpouring of resistance against a third national car project, Mahathir is recalcitrant and still seems set on his pet project and reviving this failed, outdated policy of his yet again. He said he discussed with the Indonesian president the concept of an Asean car on his recent visit there.
Considering the abysmal state of cooperation within Asean and all the difficulties of the car industry, this will be a road to perdition if implemented. We are already suffering for 33 years already.
