Malaysia’s second national carmaker Perodua will launch a new export model in May but called for further state protection as the auto market gradually liberalises under a regional free trade pact.

Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua (Perodua), which began operations in 1995 as a compact car producer, still needs government assistance to grow its brand and build its niche market and capabilities, said chairman Asmat Kamaludin.
The automaker has worked on enhancing quality, widen its economies of scale and upgrade its vendors but much more needs to be done to prepare for further market opening under the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) Free Trade Area (AFTA) agreement, he said.
“We are not asking for a longer period than what is necessary but at this point of time, for Perodua, 10 years is still a relatively short time to stand by itself,” Asmat was quoted as saying by news agency Bernama at a Perodua conference.
“We are working towards (liberalisation) but we still need more time, a lot more needs to be done,” Asmat said.
Japanese mini car maker Daihatsu Motor Company, which is a subsidiary of Toyota, owns a 51 percent stake in Perodua which produces a range of small and fuel-efficient models.
Perodua executive director Rajan Chitty said a new 1.3 litre car would be launched in May, which would become the company’s core export model for the 10-nation Asean region.
The company has invested nearly two billion ringgit ($526.3 million) so far in its operations, and aims to boost production to 250,000 units per year from around 200,000 now as it seeks to become the top compact car manufacturer in the region, he added.