‘Auto sector will be hit if China deals axed’
PEKAN: The country’s automotive industry will be affected if the Opposition tries to end its contracts with China, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said should strategic partnerships and contracts with Chinabased companies like Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co Ltd (Geely) be cancelled, both the nation and employees of DRBHicom would lose out.
“That is why the Opposition does not think things through. They just want to fire up the emotions and sentiments of the people when they claim that we are selling our nation’s sovereignty through these contracts,” said Najib.
“If we follow emotions but lose in business, that brings no benefit to the people,” he said.
Geely had completed a deal to buy a 49.9% stake in Proton in September.
Speaking to some 2,500 DRBHicom employees at the DRBHicom Complex here yesterday, Geely, said Najib, also fully owned Swedish carmaker Volvo Cars AB.
“Why is it that this issue (selling national sovereignty) didn’t appear in Sweden when Volvo was bought over?
“We are not selling Proton to them. We are taking them as strategic partners to lead us to a future full of hope.
“We want to create jobs, advance in technology, widen our market and we want to see Proton expand to other nations and with it, Malaysia’s image,” he said.
“We must not allow Proton to become extinct. We must restore it so that it can shine on the international stage. It is for the good of the people and the nation,” he said.
It was for this reason, added Najib, that he had sought government funding for research and development to help the company overcome its financial troubles.
Also present were DRBHicom group managing director Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar and Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry secretarygeneral Datuk Seri Mohammad Mentek.
During the meetandgreet event with the employees, Najib also announced a RM500 special incentive for each of the 60,000 DRBHicom workers nationwide to be paid on April 30.
He said 100 of the 500 homes under the People’s Housing Project in Pekan would be reserved for eligible DRB Hicom staff.
“The project, to begin in July, is expected to be completed in twoandahalf years,” he said, adding that each unit, costing RM207,383, would be sold at RM35,000.