Proton - Can You Spot The Difference

Former PM Tun Dr. Mahathir slammed government for too stingy and did not focus on R&D yesterday, he also claimed that this is the reason why Proton is left behind by other major car makers in the World. And what I want to say is: "This is so true!"

I can't agree more with Dr. Mahathir. Yes, indeed this is so true, nobody can argue about this. But why Dr. Mahathir only realises this after he stepped down as our Prime Minister?

Under his 22 years of premiership (for Proton was 20 years, Proton was incorporated on 1983), did Proton do a lot of research or our government was very generous in funding R&D?

Further, he claimed that Proton has achieved a lot even with a very small amount of R&D fund provided by the government. Is this true?

Let's see what are the achievement that he mentioned and proud with.

I cropped some picture for the cars made by Proton during Dr. M's premiership, and make a comparison with the cars made by other car makers (so you can see what kind of R&D had been done during Dr. Mahathir's premiership)

Proton Saga vs Mitsubishi Mirage 4th Generation


Proton Tiara vs Citroen AX


Proton Wira vs Mitsusbishi Mirage 5th Generation


Proton Satria vs Mitsubishi Colt CAO


Proton Putra vs Mitsubishi Mirage Asti


Proton Juara vs Mitsubishi Town Box


Proton Perdana vs Mitsubishi Etena


Can anybody spots the difference?

Sorry, I can't, except for the badges of the cars. That is the only difference.

Now the question is, are these "re-badged cars" make you proud?

Was "re-badging" the main field for the researches done during Dr. Mahathir's premiership?

Yes, what we can see is just "re-badged car", the only thing that Proton do is to remove the badge of the other car maker, and exchange it with our very own Proton badge (don't forget about latest production of Proton - Proton Inspira, it's another re-badged car made from Mitsubishi Lancer!), yet, our government call these "products" as our national cars!

And don't forget this, because of all these "national cars", we have to pay more to buy a car in Malaysia (100% tax for imported cars), this does not limited to foreign cars, it's applies to our Proton cars also! If you do some research on this, you will definitely find that Proton car is much cheaper in foreign countries than in Malaysia.

Yes, we Malaysian have to subsidize them to sell their car cheap in other countries!

You Malaysian proud?

Who, me no no no.

Don't you Malaysian shame on this?

I don't know your answer, but I do, feel ASHAMED.

Written by Woei Shang Ang