According to Wikipedia, there were at least 3 Midas, but: The most famous King Midas is popularly remembered in Greek mythology for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold. This came to be called the golden touch, or the Midas touch.
Midas touch eh?
Now, have you heard of the Minus touch? Wakakaka.
Today the Malay Mail Online tells us something adverse about Proton, yes, the Malaysian or Mahathir's car, in its post Proton admits kept mum on faulty parts. It narrates (extracts only):
SUBANG JAYA, Feb 16 ― Proton today admitted that it previously failed to publicise faults discovered in its vehicles and quietly replacing items only when owners brought their cars in for maintenance.
As news emerged of a nearly 100,000-vehicle recall involving its Preve, Exora and Suprima models, chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah pledged greater transparency in such matters from here on.
“We don't like to tell or shout about our weakness. Most of the time what we did was we wait for the customers to come in to send their car in for the next service, we will log in and we can see pop up in our computer 'Okay this car we have to change this item because of the service fix programme.'
“If the customers doesn't come, then the tendency is the problem happens,” he said today.
He was referring to a problematic “CFE oil cooler hose” that would “burst” after 40,000km mileage, information that was not conveyed to Proton users.
Abdul Harith said Proton will now actively recall faulty parts to ensure they are repaired or replaced before they fail.
“This is about honesty,” he said.
He also conceded that Proton's service centres were sub-par compared to its competitors, but added that the company has since begun a massive overhaul to correct this.
The Proton CEO said the “painful” admission was necessary if Proton desired to remain relevant to Malaysia.
“Some of my good friends, fellow media journalists said 'Your service sucks.' I have to admit, yes. Some parts of it sucks because we have 400 sales and after sales outlets out there."
As news emerged of a nearly 100,000-vehicle recall involving its Preve, Exora and Suprima models, chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah pledged greater transparency in such matters from here on.
“We don't like to tell or shout about our weakness. Most of the time what we did was we wait for the customers to come in to send their car in for the next service, we will log in and we can see pop up in our computer 'Okay this car we have to change this item because of the service fix programme.'
“If the customers doesn't come, then the tendency is the problem happens,” he said today.
He was referring to a problematic “CFE oil cooler hose” that would “burst” after 40,000km mileage, information that was not conveyed to Proton users.
Abdul Harith said Proton will now actively recall faulty parts to ensure they are repaired or replaced before they fail.
“This is about honesty,” he said.
He also conceded that Proton's service centres were sub-par compared to its competitors, but added that the company has since begun a massive overhaul to correct this.
The Proton CEO said the “painful” admission was necessary if Proton desired to remain relevant to Malaysia.
“Some of my good friends, fellow media journalists said 'Your service sucks.' I have to admit, yes. Some parts of it sucks because we have 400 sales and after sales outlets out there."
What a sad sickening Saga.
For about 2 decades (roughly from its first sale till the resignation of its brainchild) Proton-EON misused its artificially dominant position to abuse its Malaysian customers (remember the forced-on accessories, under-table bribes, financing etc?). So much so that it may have fed the perception of a national symbol of disdain.
ReplyDeleteNow only it is slowly trying to correct this image, after being left far behind from its heydays of market share.
Proton belongs in the category of too big to fail companies.
ReplyDeleteJust like in the land of the free,"the olde US of A".Uncle Sam dressed in white knight armor on a snow white horse,will come riding to the rescue.If not,Citi,GM,Goldman Sachs and lists as long as Sungei Buloh.But not so lucky for the one and only ugly duckling,Lehman Brothers.The feds let it go belly up because it was acting up like Mukriz Mahathir.
Proton got so sloppy because of the gomen always coming to the rescue.That is why,up till today,"Buy Malaysian Goods" slogan never works,if a company belongs to the GLC stables.Proton and many other GLC's will always remain a money losing concern.
Many mega projects in Malaysia are turning into white elephants.
ReplyDeleteRemember,the Japanese,in a joint venture with the gomen in the iron ore project.They preferred to compensate the gomen hundreds of millions to hightailed for the hills?
Well,Proton,Mas and a list longer than Sungei Buloh are turning into "white elephants".White elephants are not only confined to buildings,but to forever losing concerns too.Hehehe.
Proton, Mas, etc etc are okay but they must remain profitable entities. Even if it is just a small profit annually it is still okay. What is important is that they provide jobs and livelihood to many.
ReplyDeleteManufacturer Initiated Warranty Replacements are actually quite common practice in the car industry, including the largest global Japanese, European and US companies.
ReplyDeleteThey are only obligated by law to make public recalls for defects which risk injury or major failure.
Other known non-critical defects are usually handled by replacement during warranty service period. If your car has logged X,000 kilometres, the service technician would get a message on their computer screen that such-and-such a part needs to be replaced.
The owner would only find out when the item shows as a Free of Charge replacement part in the service print out.
There is not enough information to confirm whether the Proton defect was a critical one or not.
Having said that, it is true that Customer Service at Proton service outlets is below par. If you have been to Volkswagen , Toyota or Nissan service centers, it is like stepping into a different world.
Don't condemn all Mahathir-initiated projects just because you don't like the guy. Some of these projects were simply mismanaged by their management over the years.
Other projects have been excellent.
Is the Penang Bridge a sickening project ?
Is the North South Highway sickening ?
Is Perodua sickening ?
The North South Highway is sickening! Firstly the construction cost was overpriced. Secondly it was scandalously contracted with such ridiculous terms such as right to periodically revised toll rate UPWARD instead of downward and then with the stupidest joke of the concession being extended again from 2018 to 2038. If this is not sickening, I don't know what is!
ReplyDeleteguna jalan lama la.. i m sure it is not sickening?
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