KUALA LUMPUR – Sales and production of motor vehicles for the past two-and-a-half months have been greatly hampered since motor vehicles production plants, distribution centres, and sales centres especially in the Klang Valley were halted from June 1.
Based on the Malaysian Automotive Association’s (MAA) latest statistics, sales amounted to only 1,921 units and 7,086 units for June and July respectively.
“To give an overall perspective, average sales, better known as total industry volume or TIV, are between 45,000 and 50,000 units per month.
“Likewise, the total industry production achieved for June and July 2021 were only 276 units and 2,775 units respectively, while the average total production is between 40,000 units and 50,000 units per month,” president Datuk Aishah Ahmad said in a statement.
She said the hardest hit are the car dealers of MAA members, particularly the smaller ones, which rely solely on income generated from the sales of new vehicles.
Aishah noted that many of them are facing severe cash flow problems and have difficulties retaining their employees, especially sales advisors.
“At present, MAA members have around 1,300 dealers located throughout the country. Total losses for the past two months was more than RM14 billion.
“This is just only from sales of vehicles in the domestic market. Our members had also lost much in terms of revenue from exports of vehicles and components, and sales of spare parts locally,” she said, adding that all in all, these losses had been very substantial and unprecedented. – Bernama, August 16, 2021
