YOURSAY 'I've given Proton more than enough time to stand on their own two feet. I don't owe Proton a living. Neither do any Malaysian.'

Industry supports PKR's automotive policy plan

your say Starr: Car dealers should be applauded for their positive reception to Pakatan Rakyat's automotive policy of reducing custom and excise duties on imported cars and promoting greater competition for the local car industry.

This can only augur well for the country in the long run, amidst some short-term pain in order to correct the policy mistakes of the past.

Proton has been by far the most expensive project of the government and the whole country has been made to carry the burden of such a grossly uncompetitive industry.

It's high time the rakyat's misery is put to a stop by the new government.

Swipenter: This is the price we have to pay to correct former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad's idea of artificially inflating the inherent value of cars to protect Proton from failing.

It has been going for more than three decades. Now we pay to drive overpriced cars on our tolled roads and highways, plus yearly road taxes because we don't have a choice.

To correct this problem, all car owners will have to take a hair cut in the short term but will enjoy cars at their inherent value in the longer term.

The crux of the matter is however painful the cure is, we know we must take the bitter pill to end the pain. The same will happen when subsidies are removed step by step.

These structural price adjustments would force us to be more efficient and careful in using our resources and money.

Why prices of food in the little red dot down south is cheaper dollar for dollar and yet they import all or most of their foodstuff. This is despite that BN boasting of subsidies and controlled price for cooking oil, flour, sugar and what not?

Kgen: Saddling the country with inflated car prices is the worst of Mahathir's legacy of evil. He was advised that a national car manufacturing industry wasn't viable with our small population but he would not listen.

The damage to our automobile assembly industry and the burden on the middle-class has been huge. The critics have been proven right - Proton is unable to compete on the world market and has to leech on the domestic market forever.

Enough is enough. If this present government must be kicked out to get cheaper car prices, so be it.

Doc: The question is not whether car prices will depress following excise cuts. The main issue on Umno's mind is whether the Umnoputras thriving on APs (approved permits) will survive.

Quigonbond: Nice to know Federation of Motor and Credit Kuala Lumpur and Selangor president Khoo Kah Jin is saying the same thing as I've remarked in Malaysiakini last week.

Example: I bought a car a year ago for RM100,000, obtained a loan of RM90,000. The market value of my car would be about RM70,000, and the outstanding loan is about RM70,000 (assuming five-year loan at 4 percent per annum interest rate).

When the Pakatan policy kicks in, my car value plummets to RM35,000. This means to settle my loan, I need to inject an additional RM35,000. But imagine I've never wanted a RM100,000 car, but a car worth RM250,000.

Under Pakatan, the RM250,000 car would be worth RM125,000. Painful as it may be for me to lose RM35,000, but I've paid RM125,000 less for a new car. I think it's worth it.

If I decide that I'm happy with my RM100,000 car, I just need to continue to pay the loan. No loss at all. The policy works.

Odin: Only self-serving and selfish car owners would object to Pakatan's move. Those who see the long-term benefits, such as a few readers in Malaysiakini have shown, would not object.

The survival of Proton must not be through further squeezing the ordinary people. If it can't stand on its own two feet, let it bury itself.

Gunner: In my case, I am still paying my car loan and it will take another four years for me to repay it in full.

Although I might be affected in terms of car value with the new Pakatan policy, I really don't mind because in the long run, everyone will benefit including our children and grandchildren.

I used to go and visit other countries and every time I asked cabbies about their car prices, I found out that ours are one the few most expensive in the world.

When I asked about traffic jam problems, they told me they have their own ways to tackle them. Therefore, this time my vote will be definitely for Pakatan.

P/S. I look forward to getting another car, a better one of course.

Thum Joo Keong: I'm also still serving my car loan. But I also would support a complete removal of excise and import duties on cars as it will benefit me in the long run. I'm all for Pakatan's policy.

I certainly do not see why I should pay higher prices for other cars just so that Proton can stay afloat. We've all seen how South Korean car makers overtake us in this industry.

I think I've given Proton more than enough time to stand on their own two feet, but they have consistently disappointed me. I don't owe Proton a living. Neither do any Malaysian.

Cars are also liabilities. They have never been assets. This is something all car owners need to accept. It's not something we should live in denial on.

All cars depreciate in value over time and in fact you lose at least 10 to 30 percent of the value the moment you drive it out of the showroom. So the issue of car losing its value should never have arise in the first place.

Rober727: With the new policy, Malaysia can become a second-hand car exporter to third world countries where there is a need. This will benefit Malaysian traders.

Anonymous #46632038: As someone who is studying abroad, I am reluctant to return to Malaysia.

The first debt I will end up having will be for purchasing a car, which I will need just to get out of my housing area because public transport is so bad.

Roads are not safe for riding a scooter (which is what I have here). I do hope Pakatan wins and implements some of these new policies.

I refuse to go home and spend my four years of savings on a car, when I could be driving a BMW here for that price.

Unspin: PKR's proposed automotive policy may require some fine-tuning to cater for exceptions, but it's a thousand times better than doing nothing with the existing directionless NAP (National Automobile Policy) which "catches a cold" whenever Mahathir sneezes.

If we factor in the promise by Pakatan that they are going to reduce the price of petrol, abolish tolls and improve public transportation, any shortfall between the price of a second-hand and new car could be easily mitigated and tolerated.

Lukeking: Has anyone commented that the taxi community will be able to benefit - it can upgrade to better cars, or even own its own cars.

It's better for the tourism industry. PKR, when in power, please don't ignore this segment.

Ex-wfw: Cars, especially those designed for everyday use, meaning those affordable ones, should be priced at a level which is accessible to the average workers.

At the same time, around the urban areas, steps must be taken to improve either the bus services or where the traffic demands, the metro system.

A chief engineer of Beijing once said that the cost of public transport should be low, so low that the public would stop using their own private cars. That's the way public servants should think, not blindly following the politicians with their crony agenda all the time.

Lower the duties by all means, but let the fuel be charged at market price because highly subsidised fuel is not fair to the other portion of the population: namely the farmers and the fishermen (though for political reason, we subsidised their diesel so that some of them can become gas salesmen)!

Conmen: With a new, clean and transparent government, not only the price of cars will go down but also other goods once businesses are free of the many add-on expenses that come with a corrupted system.

The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now .