SHAH ALAM, June 13: Carmaker companies denied the report by Utusan Malaysia on 9 June that the prices of some car models have been reduced up to 11 percent as an implementation of the Umno-BN manifesto.
PKR Communications Director, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the pro-Umno newspaper reported that the price of 10 car models have dropped since January this year, showing that Umno-BN wants to continue to fool the people.
Nik Nazmi said that carmakers, Volkswagen Malaysia and Peugeot Malaysia have denied that their car prices have been lowered as claimed by the Utusan Malaysia report.
“Utusan must immediately apologise to all Malaysians as well as carmakers regarding this news,” said Nik Nazmi in a media statement.
The Utusan report claimed that 10 car models, including Volkswagen, Peugeot, Proton and Perodua have lowered their prices by 11 percent.
Utusan claims this is evidence of the implementation of the Umno-BN manifesto promise announced during the 13th General Election.
Upon checking the Peugeot Malaysia website, it is found that the price of the 308 model has not changed since February this year.(http://www.peugeot.com.my/media/deliacms/media/10/1073-da3c60.pdf)
The price being RM 99,561.50 each, without insurance, road tax, number plate and related fees.
Overall, the road price for an individual plus insurance is RM 102,888.00, the same price Utusan claims to have been reduced by the Umno-BN Federal Government.
The same discrepancy was detected when checking the price of a Honda Jazz Hybrid. Our reporter contacted Honda Malaysia confirming that the RM89,900 price has not changed since it was launched.
Meanwhile, checks with Volkswagen Malaysia found that the net price of a GOLF GTI is still at RM157,888 each. Their website did not mention when the site was last updated.
http://www.volkswagen.com.my/en/models/the-golf/trimlevel-overview.s9_trimlevel_detail.suffix.html/the-golf~2Fthe-golf.html#/tab=9fbdaf5858d6041ddbafd65215e66cc1
According to a report from TheMalaysianInsider, the official Facebook page for Peugeot Malaysia does not want to be associated with the Utusan report.
Meanwhile, the official Facebook page for Volkswagen Malaysia said that the price for a GOLF GTI is RM 157,888 since it was launched.
“The Utusan report stating that 10 car models have recorded price reduction is a desperate attempt to fool the people,” said Nik Nazmi.
According to Nik Nazmi, when Pakatan launched the #ReduceCarPrices campaign, Umno-BN claimed that it was impossible to implement it.
Umno-BN gave excuses that it could not be executed because they want to protect local car-makers and that the government would lose revenue.
“Finally, after the Pakatan election manifesto was launched, Umno-BN included reduction in car prices to their promises purposefully to revise the National Automotive Policy to re Finally, after alliance election manifesto launch, Umno-BN includes a reduction in the price of the car they promise to resolve revised National Automotive Policy to lower car prices 20 to 30 percent,” said Nik Nazmi.
He said that the commitment to reduce car prices by Umno-BN was made only after they realised the popularity of the #ReduceCarPrices campaign by Pakatan.
However, to this day, the Umno-BN government has failed to find a mechanism to do so without eliminating government dependence on the excise duty.
“Unfortunately, the government has failed to provide detail on how they plan to implement this policy without reducing the excise duty.”
