Survey shows 87 percent of Proton Holdings Bhd‘s suppliers intend to collaborate with China suppliers in electric vehicle (EV) component, the Malaysian national automaker said Wednesday.

Proton said in a statement that to facilitate interactions between Proton suppliers and Geely EV suppliers, business matchmaking sessions were held at the Geely Research Center (GRI) at Hangzhou Bay during a program in China, and 95 percent of the participants were satisfied with the session that helps to identify potential partnerships and collaborations for EV component supply chains.

Among all participants, 87 percentof local suppliers expressed the intention to collaborate with China suppliers with the top five partnership by category as distributorship, collaboration in technology transfer, joint venture partner, collaboration in skill development and investment for joint business.

“This program marks a key milestone in advancing Malaysia’s automotive capabilities,

“The partnership and tech exchanges during these visits are vital for strengthening our local supply chain, especially in electric vehicle components. This effort supports the National Automotive Policy (NAP2020), positioning Malaysia as a leader in the region’s EV industry,” said Azrul Reza Aziz, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Automotive, Robotics and IoT Institute (MARii).

According to the statement, Malaysian government is committed to advancing the EV and green technology. Increased collaboration and partnerships aim to build essential infrastructure and support a sustainable EV ecosystem through technology transfer.

By developing the local supply chain, Malaysia hopes to cut import reliance, create jobs and stimulate economic growth, according to the Ministry of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MECD).

Proton recently joined hands with the MECD, alongside with two government agencies to bring suppliers of government-linked companies (GLC) and Proton to attend the “Market Access, Technology Transfer & Vendor Enhancement Program” in China.

This initiative was aimed towards fostering innovation, enhance commercialization activities and support Malaysia’s transition towards sustainable mobility.

Organized by MECD and led by the MARii and Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Bhd (MIDF), the program was conducted in early July to accelerate the development of next-generation vehicles and battery electric vehicles through strategic partnerships and technological exchanges.

In a separate trip to China a month prior, Proton previewed upcoming models and design concepts to gain more insights on the development work done by the design team in meeting local and global market needs.

“This experience has provided vendors and dealers valuable insights into the global automotive market dynamics and reinforces Proton’s leadership in delivering cutting-edge vehicles tailored to diverse consumer preferences,

“Some of the safety technologies and luxurious interior in the model were way beyond its market segment. With strong demand for technological advanced vehicles at competitive prices, all the models are poised to make a significant impact to the market,” said Thomas Lim, President, Proton Vendors Association.

Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton, said the firm’s s recent trips have demonstrated a strong commitment to product innovation and a strategic approach for introducing new models both locally and globally.

“This underscores the need for increased collaboration and technology exchanges to ensure the long-term resilience of the automotive sector in Malaysia and to accelerate progress towards these ambitious goals,” he added.

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