Prime Minister Najb Razak believes that Proton’s ‘golden age’ would once again be restored in the absence of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s political interference.
“Now, I am pleased to say, there have been significant changes at the top levels of Proton. Tun Mahathir’s era of political interference has come to an end,” Bernama quoted Najib as saying at the launch of the fourth generation of the Proton Perdana.
“We saw the results of that early this year. A manufacturer which should be a source of national pride was facing a very difficult situation,” he was quoted further.
Dr Mahathir, whose brainchild was the national car project, resigned as chairman of Proton Holdings Bhd effective March 30, having held the post since 2014.
Najib spoke of the need to ‘protect Malaysian jobs, families who rely on Proton, and to protect the company’s business partners’ in justifying the government’s move to step in and assist the struggling Proton.
“We stepped in because the well-being of the people is always our first concern. We will never fail to support Malaysian workers and suppliers. We will always fight to ensure that no one is left behind,” the news agency quoted him as saying.
