My Say

If there is a worse decision than cancelling the talk with VW, then this could be it: If the Government now decide to let Proton have a local partner. Hopefully some common sense will prevail and Government will negotiate with GM instead.

Well, what more can anyone say, right? After all the Cabinet has made the decision. Read here for what the deputy PM has to say about this rather sad episode.

It reminds me of the true story of a girl (’S'). A quiet, unassuming, nice girl, S was the target of many suitors. Suitors who saw her ‘inner beauty’, as she wasn’t someone one could describe as beautiful or even pretty. S was blissfully unaware of the many boys who were too shy to make known their intentions. One day, all this changed, when a ‘high profile’ person (’P') joined in the fray and he immediately professed his feelings for her and showered her with all sorts of gifts and attention. S changed overnight as a result. She swapped her glasses for contact lenses, changed her old-fashioned wardrobe for more daring clothes and even started to walk and speak differently. Her original suitors didn’t like what they saw and quietly left the race. The only party left was P. P enjoyed going out with S for a while but soon lost interest and looked elsewhere. S was dumped unceremoniously. She then started to realise that she was better off when she was her old self. Sadly, even when she changed back, she found that there was no one around, who was interested in her. No one waited for her..

This may sound like a page from the Dear Thelma column in StarMag, but this is probably what is happening to Proton. What, just by turning the corner in a c0uple of quarters, Proton wants to walk away from her suitors? Whatever were they in the Cabinet thinking of? Every single car maker of note in the world is part of a bigger automotive group, even fierce independent makers. Does Proton (maybe the question should be answered by the ‘expert’ in the government?) know what it takes to be a profitable car maker without government support? Can a pampered lady who has never set food in a kitchen cook up a feast? What’s the chance of a fireball in hell?

Sigh. Many people are probably rueing -”if only”… there goes the chance for many people to drive decent cars at decent prices…

Statements like these appall me. Any fool can give out loans. The real question is can they be collected? The Chairman should take into consideration a couple of factors:
1) Micro-credit. This is an euphemism for sub-prime. With the recent global financial crisis caused by imprudent lending, he should really re-consider this strategy.
2) The Malaysian economy. Despite all the good news in the headlines, the next economic recession is probably due. Let’s see: 1985, 1997, X. Let the Mensa members figure out ‘X’.

The sad reality is that the Chairman and most of the senior management probably won’t be around when these loans turn bad. Some one else will have to clean up the mess. And maybe some taxpayers’ money will be wasted in the process.

So what is the best course of action? Why, go borrow from BSN, of course! With any luck, the loan may never need to be repaid!

I must admit I never knew that the ‘made in Malaysia’ tag can be used to improve sales. Read this. Albeit, the recognition is for all the wrong reasons. But it does show what we are capable of, if quality is taken seriously. Proton should certainly take a page out of this!