THE government is ready to assist Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) expand and explore new markets.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said urged Perodua to continue enhancing its production capacity to achieve economy of scale that is competitive and on par with foreign companies in the region.

The country’s automotive industry development has an important impact on the economy via the creation of jobs, technical skills upgrade, technology transfer, and reduction in dependency on foreign companies, Ismail said at the launch of the Perodua Alza today. 

Ismail said Perodua supports the local automotive sector by yearly purchasing RM7 billion worth of automotive components.

This enables the local companies to develop their businesses, whether expanding their operations or investing in new technologies, he said.

“I was made to understand that there are local component companies that have become component suppliers to Daihatsu in Japan. 

“This is a proud achievement for the country as usually we import components from Japan but now we export to them. I congratulate them on this accomplishment,” he said. 

He thanked Perodua for seeking to work with the government to develop the country’s automotive industry ecosystem.

“Perodua should serve as an example for other local companies wherein the interest of the country is prioritised to benefit all,” he said.

Ismail was confident Malaysia would able to achieve a vehicle sales target of 600,000 units in 2022, a 17.9% increase compared to 2021. 

A total of 61,624 vehicles were registered in the first quarter of this year, up 6.4% from 57,909 vehicles sold in the same period last year. 

Perodua aims to sell 247,800 units in 2022, an increase of 30.2% from 190,291 vehicles sold last year. – Bernama, July 20, 2022.