The government is concerned about the challenges faced by Proton Holdings Bhd’s dealers and vendors, said Minister of International Trade and Industry, Mustapa Mohamed.

“The ministry is currently gathering information and I plan to meet them soon for discussions," he told reporters at the launch of SME Bank Y-Biz Challenge 2018 and MySMEBank Online Application System in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mustapa said this in response to a question whether a special incentive would be provided to help Proton dealers upgrade their businesses.

Yesterday, Proton encouraged its dealers to upgrade their sales-only centres to integrate sales, service and spare parts, to among others, improve the dealership network and increase customer satisfaction via an improved sales and service experience.

The Malaysian Association of Malay Vehicle Importers and Traders was recently reported by a local daily as saying Proton, under the new management, has strayed from its original objective to promote the Bumiputera agenda.

Proton said the foreign strategic partner was vital for it to recover to the former leading position in the Malaysian car market and grow the brand both locally and abroad, which was a key thrust for the future business plans of the company.

The national carmaker, recognising that a substantial sum of money was needed to be spent by the dealers on the centre upgrading exercise, has introduced a special scheme that offered upfront support to assist them to upgrade to brand new premises.

China’a Zhejiang Geely Holdings Group acquired a 49.9 percent stake in Proton last year in an effort to revive the ailing car company.

Meanwhile, SME Bank today ventured into the digital era by opening up the registration for SME Bank Y-Biz Challenge 2018 via an online platform to provide an easier way for students, teachers and schools to participate.

It also embarked on the initiative to improve its service delivery through the Blue Ocean Strategy methodology by introducing the bank’s new online application system called MySMEBank for customers to apply financing.

With a tagline ‘Apply Anytime Anywhere’, this online application system is to provide the entrepreneurs with a full digital customer experience end-to-end.

-- Bernama