2009 Annual Report - ChartNexus

Chairman’s Statement
In China, PROTON has shipped more than 4,000 completely built-up Gen.2 units to
Youngman. After the initial trial run in December 2008, the CKD supply and operations has
commenced, opening a new chapter for PROTON in China.
With Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) of Japan, PROTON entered into a product
collaboration arrangement for the development of a new vehicle, which is targeted to hit
the streets sometime in the near future. We certainly hope that this rekindled relationship
with MMC will be mutually beneficial and at the same time accelerate PROTON’s product
and quality programmes.
PROTON Edar Sdn Bhd and Edaran Otomobil Nasional Berhad inked a new
Master Dealer Agreement in May 2009.
Innovation in Motion
PROTON is aware that change, driven by technological advancement, environmental
awareness, increasing fuel prices, fuel shortages and ultimately consumer needs and
demands, is coming. Zero emission vehicles, as opposed to vehicles based on the internal
combustion engine, conventional or otherwise, may soon be the order of the day. As more
and more companies are scrapping their hydrogen programme, a pure electric vehicle or
PEV seems to be the only viable alternative to achieve zero emission.
Environmentally, it releases almost no air pollutants and there is less noise pollution than
a vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine and potentially, with the proper
infrastructure, it can be very inexpensive to run and maintain.
PROTON 2009 ANNUAL REPORT
51