Motor vehicle sales up 44% in SE Asia last year<\/p>\n
KUALA LUMPUR (DPA): Sales of motor vehicles shot up 44.3 per
\ncent last year in Southeast Asia as the region recovered from its
\neconomic troubles, an industry body said Friday.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN Automotive Federation said a total of 1,091,926
\ncars, commercial vehicles and 4X4 vehicles were sold in the
\nregion's seven strongest economies last year, up from 756,619
\nunits the previous year.<\/p>\n
Malaysia registered the largest number of sales, accounting
\nfor 31 per cent of the market with 343,173 vehicles sold,
\nfollowed by Indonesia in second place with 298,633 units and
\nThailand with 262,189 vehicles.<\/p>\n
The annual sales figures were released by the federation,
\nwhich is based in Kuala Lumpur.<\/p>\n
On a country basis, Indonesia saw the highest jump in sales,
\nwith a 218 per cent rise from 93,814 units sold in 1999.<\/p>\n
Malaysia experienced a 19 per cent increase in vehicle sales
\nlast year, from 1999's 288,547 figure.<\/p>\n
Vehicle sales were also up in Thailand last year by 20 per
\ncent from 1999, Singapore recorded a 58 per cent increase, and
\nthe Philippines a 13 per cent rise.<\/p>\n
However, sales of automobiles dropped 38 per cent in Vietnam
\nto 13,957 units from 22,650 previously, and by 3 per cent in
\nBrunei to 5,136 units from 5,282.<\/p>\n
Federation president Aishah Ahmad, who is also head of the
\nMalaysia Automotive Association said Malaysia has forecast a
\ngrowth of 11 per cent in vehicle sales for this year to 380,000
\nunits.<\/p>\n
She said she was unable to give a forecast for the rest of the
\nregion for this year's sales as members were uncertain about sale
\nprojections due to political problems at home, such as unrest in
\nIndonesia and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Referring to Malaysia's performance, she said last year had
\nbeen good for the industry and she expects a similar situation
\nthis year based on steady economic growth, low price increases, a
\nsofter Japanese yen, low interest rates and easily available
\nloans.<\/p>\n
Passenger cars accounted for 82 per cent of all vehicles sold
\nlast year in Malaysia, with the national car, Proton, maintaining
\nits position as the best-selling car by capturing 63 per cent of
\nthe market.<\/p>\n
Japan's Honda was the best-selling foreign car, with a 1.6 per
\ncent share of the market, or 4,550 cars sold, followed by Toyota
\nand Nissan.<\/p>\n
Malaysian-made cars have the highest demand in the country
\nbecause of their cheaper prices as the government slaps high
\nimport duties on foreign cars in a bid to protect the domestic
\nindustry.<\/p>",
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