Mahathir breaks ground at car plant

Mahathir breaks ground at car plant

MANILA (Reuter): Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad
broke ground yesterday for an assembly plant in the northern
Philippines that will put together his country's Proton Wira
cars.

"The plant provides a strong testament to Malaysia's faith in
your country's effort towards industrialization," Mahathir said
at the ceremony, where he was joined by Philippine President
Fidel Ramos.

The 2.2 billion peso (US$90 million) assembly and engine
transmission plant is the first to be built by car company
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Berhad (Proton) outside Malaysia.

It is a joint venture between Proton and the Philippines'
Automotive Corporation, ASEA One and Autocorp Group, which
Mahathir said exemplified true cooperation among members of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).