Car makers respond to plight of flood victims
As Malaysia continues to count the toll of devastation brought about by the worst flooding seen in the country for years, various organizations and individuals have commendably stepped up and extended helping hands to those who have lost their homes and loved ones in the disaster.
Aid is being shipped into affected regions through various channels and among that stream of supplies are RM40,000 worth of emergency supplies donated by Perodua in collaboration with Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN), the national coordinator of disaster relief. Their aid, which came in the form of supplies of sleeping bags, food, and fresh water, was sent on 19 December.
Perodua President and CEO, Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh, also noted that volunteers from the company will be going to assist in cleaning operations of damaged homes. Additionally, the company will also be offering assistance in towing services, discounted parts, and free inspection for all Perodua vehicles damaged by the flood.
The company will reimburse towing fees up to RM100 for affected Perodua vehicles to the nearest Perodua service outlet. Parts such as electronic items, carpet, seats, door trims, and engine overhaul gasket will be given discounts of 20%.
Proton owners will be having some respite as well, through the recently re-activated Proton We-Care Prihatin Banjir programme. Proton CEO Dato’ Abdul Harith Abdullah has announced that from an initial offering of 20%, the company is increasing its discounting of parts prices to 30% with labour charges waived altogether.
Meanwhile, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) and Tan Chong Ekspres Auto Servis (TCEAS) have announced the Nissan Relief Campaign in which flood-affected Nissan vehicles get towing charges reimbursed up to a maximum of RM150 and 25% discounts on genuine parts and labour charges. In addition, the quality of all repair works will be covered by a 3-month / 5,000km warranty. The campaign runs with immediate effect until 28 Feb 2015.
For those of you unfortunate enough to have your vehicles hit by the flood, here are some tips (courtesy of Proton) on managing your flood-affected car:
1. Do not start the engine.
2. Do not unlock your vehicle using the remote. Do it manually instead.
3. Disconnect the vehicle’s battery at the negative terminal (black). This is essential to stop the flow of electricity within the vehicle.
4. Remove all valuables, lock the vehicle manually, and have it towed to your nearest service centre.
The above tips will not entirely prevent damage to your vehicle, but they are useful in minimizing effects and can potentially save certain equipment from being damaged beyond repair.
Update (29 Dec 2014, 1700hrs, GMT +8): Honda Malaysia has also announced its Flood Relief Programme offering flood-hit customers half-price discount off all genuine parts with immediate effect until 31 March 2015. Customers are advised to bring along their police report on the damaged car and insurance cover note to any Honda dealers in the affected areas to have their car assessed and damage repaired once the flood situation has subsided.
