On 9 December 2008 I blogged that Proton had been sued by Goldstar Heavy Industrial in China (I was right about the amount, not the currency). Proton chose to remain silent until today 17 December 2008.
This morning, out of the blue, Proton issued a statement to confirm that it had been sued by Goldstar Heavy Industrial in Guangdong Province in China for RM503 million (1.0 billion Yuan). Proton’s statement was published in Malaysiakini.
I believe that Proton has now breached the Bursa Saham’s Guidelines whereby Proton is duty-bound to announce to Bursa Saham about the suit, which Proton did not do. I shall lodge a formal complaint with Bursa Saham in due course with regard to Proton’s failure to make the necessary announcement as soon as it was sued in China.
The Malaysiakini report here is as follow:
Proton sued for RM520 mil by ex-Chinese partner Dec 17, 08 11:59am Proton is being sued for half a billion ringgit by China’s Goldstar Heavy Industrial over the collapse of their joint venture plan to build vehicles in China. The Star daily said Goldstar had started legal action in Guangdong province, seeking about 1.0 billion yuan (RM520 million) in compensation over the failed venture.
The two companies were to have produced vehicles in a plant in Dongguan province, but Proton reportedly said Goldstar failed to obtain a licence for the joint venture.
Goldstar’s legal action contravenes “the agreed arbitration process”, the Malaysian firm told the daily, adding that arbitration had been due to be held in Singapore in March.
The Star said Proton had instead signed an agreement to partner with another Chinese firm, Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing, with a goal of selling 30,000 units of its GEN-2 model in China.
Proton has been trying to develop export markets as it suffers a steep decline in market share in Malaysia, where it has been outgunned by imports in a newly deregulated environment.
The automaker was formed 25 years ago as part of an ambitious national industrialisation plan, but it has suffered from a reputation for poor quality and unimaginative models.
– Terjemahan oleh Lee Wee Tak – Ucapan ribuan terima kasih dari Wee Choo Keong –
Proton mengaku didakwa
Pada 9 December 2008 saya menulis bahawa Proton menghadapi tindakan undang-undang yang diambil oleh Goldstar Heavy Industrial di China (tulisan saya tepat pada jumlahnya tetapi tidak tepat mengenai mata wang yang terlibat). Proton membisu hingga hari ini, 17 December 2008.
Pagi tadi, tiba-tiba Proton mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa ia menghadapi tindakan undang-undang oleh Goldstar Heavy Industrial yang bertapak di Wilayah Guangdong, Chinauntuk jumlah RM503 juta (1.0 billion Yuan). Kenyataan Proton diterbitkan di Malaysiakini.
Saya percaya Proton telah melanggar garis panduan Bursa Saham Malaysia di mana sebagai syarikat tersenarai dalam pasaran saham, ia wajib memaklumkan pihak burs mengenai tindakan undang-undang yang dihadapi tetapi tidak berbuat demikian. Saya akan membuat aduan kepada Bursa Sahamdalam waktu yang bersesuaian mengenai kegagalan Proton membuat pengumuman mengenai dakwaan terhadapnya di China seawal ini diketahui.
Laporan Malaysiakini seperti berikut:
Proton disaman RM520 mil oleh bekas rakan kongsi China
Proton menghadapi tindakan undang-undang sejumlah setengah billion ringgit oleh rakan kongsi Chinanya Goldstar Heavy Industrial kerana kegagalan rancangan usaha sama mereka membuat kereta di China
Menurut akhbar the Star daily, Goldstar telah memulakan tindakan undang-undangnya di Wilayah Guangdong dan ingin meminta gantirugi sebanyak 1.0 billion yuan (RM520 juta).
Kedua syarikat ini sapatutnya mengilang kenderaan di sebuah kilang di Wilayah Dongguan tetapi Proton dilaporkan bahawa telah menyatakan bahawa Goldstar gagal memperolehi lesen untuk usaha ama mereka.
Menurut Proton, tindakan Goldstar bercanggah dengah “proses pengadilan yang telah dipersetujui”, dan sepatutnya proses pengadilan akan diadakan di Singapore pada bulan March.
Menurut akhbar the Star, Proton pula menandatangai perjanjian lain dengan sebuah syarikat China yang lain, Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing, dengan matlamat memasakan sebanyak 30,000 buah kenderaan jenis GEN-2 di China.
Proton telah berusaha membangunkan pasaran ekspotnya kerana mengalami kemerosotan teruk di pasaran Malaysia di mana ia dikalahkan oleh kereta impot dalam suasana baru di mana kawalan impot kereta telah dilonggarkan.
Pembuat kenderaan ini telah ditubuhkan 25 tahun lalu sebagai salah satu bahagian daripada rancangan besar-besaran untuk perindustrian negara tetapi ia diketahui ramai sebagai pengilang yang berkualiti rendah dan reka bentuk yang kurang berdaya cipta.
