Protection To National Carmaker Cannot Be Forever TEAMCAR - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the government could not afford to continuously provide protection to national carmaker, Proton or Perodua.

Instead, they should strive to be more competitive in the future, he told reporters after launching the SsangYong Rexton II, here Tuesday.

"The management of Proton and Perodua have accepted the fact that they have to move within an increasingly competitive market, the protection that they have received all this while cannot last forever and they have to work hard to make the national car more competitive," he said.

Najib said although the government intended to make Malaysia a hub for manufacturing new cars, the ultimate aim of the National Automotive Policy (NAP) was to ensure that for now the national car would not be neglected.

"There are several objectives in the NAP, one ensures the presence and viability of the national car and the second is to make Malaysia a hub for the assembling and production of new model of cars.

"We have to manage both of them so that there are no conflicts, and that Proton will not be jeopardised and Perodua will also not be affected," he said.

On the stiff competition now, Najib said that both Proton and Perodua were taking the appropriate measures.  ¶ 4:45 PM