[AC4BT6]

Hey guys,

I just want to know, which is more patriotic?
1) To buy Proton knowing that Proton is a national product.
2) Not to buy Proton but to buy imported or locally assembled foreign cars

My view about patriotism is simple, I would choose to buy non Proton cars
because the import tax would directly go to government rather than
corrupt and incompetent people at Proton and its supplier.

Buying proton cars on the other hand would likely to encourage these
people to continue with what they have been doing and to continue taking
advantage of Proton's existence. Not to mention about the encouragement
to other companies in malaysia to follow Proton's footstep in relying a
lot on government protection and public funding, rather than to increase
their standard to be international players. Of course Inda and his gang
believe that buying Proton is very patriotic.

Let me know what others are thinking?

[dacmo]

It's an open market. I don't see what a purchase option has to do with
patriotism. I would buy back a Proton if they can give me some amount of
confidence that they're manufacturing quality is finally up to mark. It's
not Proton's designs that are the problem but the manufacturing quality
that's scary. Just my 2 sen.

[prozac51]

Even if you bought a non-Proton and give more money to the govt, some of
that money essentially ends up with Proton anyway

[GenDua2004]

a patriot is one that loves the country, protect the country from enemy
outside or within. if proton harms the welfare of the people a patriot
will try to kill the proton, or at least not to cooperate with the enemy
by not buying their products.

are you a patriot or are you merely a chauvinist brainwashed by those
patrioteers driving foreign cars and tell you must buy proton to love the
country?

[BHC]

As AFTA and WTO are here to stay, buying Proton cars is no longer
considered as patriotic. We will not help the country to progress
(remember Wawasan 2020 ?) if we do not change our mindset. Proton has to
face competition with other car manufacturers and the only way is for the
public to buy car with an OPEN mind.

Protecting Proton is a drain to the government finance. Ideally, Proton
should be exporting plenty of cars overseas to earn foreign currency and
increase our foreign reserves further. Sadly, this has not happened
after 20 years.

Today, "patriotic" doens't exist in consumer products, including cars.
It's happening globally. Of course, one solution is for Malaysia to
disengage from the world and become something like Myanmar/Burma. And
everything will be patriotic.

[jenn888]

Yes. "patriotic" shouldn't be an issue here. It is more important to
discuss on the national car project has given us the benefit or burden.

Our government leaders always say that Malaysia is the model of Islamic
state for muslim countries, why proton didn't export to muslim world to
earn forex? Why those Islamic countries don't import proton if they
admitted Malaysia is their model? Is proton lack of luck or efficiency?

[WhiteGhost]

Proton does export to muslim countries !!!!

[cjoon]

Quite a number of muslim countries are rich and i think they prefer to
drive european cars than Potong larr... I have this National Geographic
magazine, dated October 2003 : Kingdom on Edge, Saudi Arabia... i think
this issues is the one got picture of one Arab prince drive his BMW z3 or
z4.. wah lansi.. where lar want to drive Satria GTI???

[Alfamaniac]

Patriotism doesn't sell cars. People who say that you are unpatriotic just
because you don't drive or own a Proton are narrow-minded and just venting
out their jealousy on you. If appealing to the rakyat's patriotism is one
way which Proton hopes to sell their cars, then they are wrong. Slowly but
surely, Proton will die a slow death.

Don't forget that Proton has forayed into the Middle Eastern market before
and they bombed out spectacularly. Proton sales were going nowhere. They
just couldn't compete. So, to one forumer. Proton TRIED their darndest to
export to Moslem countries, but with the wide array of choices present in
the market, Proton was lowdown in an Arab's car-to-buy list. Bottomline :
in a free market, Proton will not succeed.

[TsLeng]

Ppl there use camry to 'drift' 1 lar...

and potong selling at same price as jap cars also, how to sell?