After a decent start to 2021, Malaysia’s automotive industry receded by an estimated 20 percent last month due to increased MCO restrictions and ongoing chip shortages. By extension, sales figures for Malaysian carmaker Proton also take a hit; only 9,440 units (including overseas exports) were sold last month, a drop of 37.1 per cent compared to April. Its market share also dropped to 20.3 percent. This comes after Proton sold a total of 57,283 cars in the first five months of 2021 to secure a market share of 23.5 percent in that period.

The Saga model remains Proton’s best-selling model and the A-segment sedan sales leader, with 3,786 units delivered. In the SUV segments, the 1,899 units of the X50 and 1,523 units of the X70 were delivered last month for a cumulative figure of 3,422 SUVs sold. 

On the international stage, Proton’s sales efforts show no signs of losing momentum despite international markets going through varying degrees of lockdown. Thanks to 669 export units of Saga, X50, and X70 in May, the company’s international sales division achieved its best record since March 2013. The total number of exports sold in 2021 thus far are now less than 100 units behind last year’s total.

With a full MCO enforced from 1 June 2021, all Proton showrooms will cease operations for at least two weeks. Service centres will continue to operate to cater to pre-booked appointments. The company also seeks to capitalise on the temporary lull in sales operations to retool its sales plan for the remainder of 2021; the extension of sales tax exemptions until the end of 2021 should also provide Proton with a needed boost for the second half of the year.

Words: Arif Sharif