With reference to the article in malaysiakini ( M'sia trying to evade Afta with new duties for foreign cars ), I believe that the government can go on protecting the local car manufacturing industry for another 100 years and they will still need further protection after that.

Local car-maker Proton has not done much to improve the quality of the cars they are selling to the local market. Otherwise, why should they have one model for the local market and another for the foreign market?

EON too plays a vital part in fueling the negative public perception of Proton cars. Cars sent for service and maintenance take at least half a day to be serviced while if you send a car to other workshops, it only take less than an hour!

Proton and EON have served the local market badly with their 'take it or leave it' attitude. They forced buyers to take unnecessary accessories. They made buyers wait months for the delivery of their cars. They worked hand in glove with dealers when times were good to encourage buyers to pay under-counter money to get their cars delivered faster.

In the period when they should have won the public over with good quality of their cars and their after-sale services, they have chosen to destroy themselves. Of course, they will claim that their market share has been increasing for the past 20 years but that was due to the protection it receives. Now when Afta is around the corner, you can see that Proton's market share dropped tremendously. The public have long memories. Now it's payback time.

When Afta was announced years ago, Proton claimed they were designing new models. The public does not judge a car by its appearance only but also the quality of its parts and service. Afta is here soon but their new models are not out yet. So what do they do? Of course, the new kid on the block goes running to Daddy and cries: "No fair! No fair! I'm just learning to walk." It's been almost two decades!

Korean cars that were nowhere 20 years ago are making their mark all over the world today. Proton cars that were nowhere nearly 20 years ago are still nowhere today.

It's time the government stopped protecting local car manufacturers to make them world-beaters. The manufacturers have been mollycoddled too long. They need to wake up before it is too late.