Proton needs improvement in technologies to compete
KUALA LUMPUR: National automobile manufacturer, Proton Holdings Bhd, needs to improve technologies to keep up with consumer demand, a dealer said.
Nur Shazzani Ahmad Shukri from Pengangkutan Sedar Sdn Bhd said Proton's partnership with by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd, is therefore, the right move as the China-based company has a great emphasis on technology development.
“Geely really invests in technologies of the future, like electric and hybrid cars, as well as autonomous cars at works.So, the partnership can only be better for Proton overall,” she said in a statement yesterday.
Nur Shazzani is among 30 Proton dealers who participated in a trip to Geely Research Institute in China.
Another dealer, Louis Ng Boon Cheng of NHL Automobil Sdn Bhd, said Proton car models need to be totally modern with great designs, so that it became a niche model in the market.
“This will ensure we are actually creating a new market with new set of customers,” he added.
He said Proton dealers also need to have different approaches to attract customers amid tougher competition.
“Everywhere we look, we can see competition is getting tougher. People are competing for the same customers in the market. Thus, it is very important to have unique offerings for customers,” he added.
He said a dealer's outlet needed to appeal to passers-by and also offer after sales services that distinguished themselves from competitors.
Ng also expressed confidence that the upcoming launch of the sports utility vehicle by Proton will be well received by Malaysians. — Bernama KUALA LUMPUR: PT Bank Maybank Indonesia Tbk (Maybank Indonesia) posted a profit after tax and minority interest of 463.1 billion rupiah (10,000 rupiah = RM2.81) in the first quarter (1Q) ended March 31, 2018, down from the 490.1 billion rupiah recorded in the same quarter last year.
Operating income after provisions increased 7.6 per cent to 682.0 billion rupiah in the quarter under review compared with 633.9 billion rupiah, previously.
“Top line grew 3.6 per cent supported by continued improvement in operational efficiency in line with the bank's strategic cost management programme, as well as, fee-based income expansion, improvement in provisioning levels, growth in shariahbusinessandimprovement in subsidiaries,” the bank said in statement yesterday.
Shariah banking's total assets surged 25.7 per cent to 27.1 trillion rupiah in Q1 2018, making up 15.4 per cent of the bank's total assets.
Total financing rose 41.6 per cent, year-on-year, (y-o-y) to 20.2 trillion rupiah at end-March 2018.
Total deposits grew 44.1 per cent to 17.5 triilion rupiah while loans saw a moderate 2.2 per cent growth to 122.5 trillion rupiah as at March 31, 2018.