Govt, Proton team up to tackle road deaths and carbon emissions

New Straits Times

15-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is committed to reducing road accident fatalities through the Safe Systems Approach, with carmakers like Proton playing a key role in ensuring safer vehicles on Malaysian roads, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.
He said Proton's efforts aligned with the government's objectives under the Malaysia Road Safety Plan 2022-2030, while also supporting the country's long-term carbon reduction goals.
"A key aspect of the Safe Systems Approach is ensuring that vehicles on our roads are safer. This is where car manufacturers such as Proton play an important role in furthering the road safety agenda.
"The freedom of personal mobility must come with responsibility. The responsibility to ensure the safety of fellow road users and the duty to our families to deliver them safely to their destinations," he said when launching the Proton XChange Programme here today.
Through the programme, Loke said owners would receive an incentive of RM2,000 when they trade their old cars for new Proton models equipped with better safety features.
"I understand this incentive applies not only to Proton vehicles aged 15 years or more but also to all vehicles that are no longer repairable. This will remove unsafe cars from our roads as well as abandoned vehicles from road sides, a major concern raised by municipal councils.
"This will also help make our roads safer, as older cars that are no longer roadworthy and fail to meet modern safety standards are removed," he said.
In line with Malaysia's target to become a Net-Zero Carbon nation by 2050, Loke also praised Proton's expansion into electric mobility.
"I understand the Proton XChange Programme is also applicable for the purchase of eMAS electric vehicles, aligning with Malaysia's decarbonisation goals.
"The production, sales, and use of internal combustion engine vehicles contribute significantly to carbon emissions. The government cannot achieve its targets without the automotive industry committing to green mobility," he said.
Highlighting Proton's use of solar energy at its Tanjung Malim plant and plans to develop the Automotive High Tech Valley into a regional hub for next-generation vehicles, Loke said the national carmaker was setting a benchmark for other Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
"This is why the Transport Ministry supports the XChange Programme initiative and encourages other OEMs to follow Proton's example and look beyond chasing sales and profits to play an active role in developing our transport ecosystem," he added. – BERNAMA