Southeast Asia's new vehicle sales increase

Southeast Asia's new vehicle sales increase

SINGAPORE (AFP): New vehicle sales in Southeast Asia's four biggest markets rose by a lower-than-expected 12.4 percent in the March quarter due to the global economic downturn, an industry monitor said Wednesday.

Internal political problems plaguing the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also contributed to the slower sales growth, Automotive Resources Asia Ltd. (ARA) said in its latest report.

New vehicle sales in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand in the first three months of the year totaled 227,292 units, up from 202,220 units last year.

"ASEAN's slowly recovering regional economy -- which has been negatively affected by recessionary signs in the U.S. economy and its own internal problems -- have caused new vehicle sales in the first quarter of this year to be lower than expected," said ARA senior associate Chabaphrai Srinont.

The Indonesian market posted the biggest increase, with sales rising 18 percent to 60,159 units from 50,794 vehicles.

But a strike at the Toyota plant in Indonesia depressed sales for its best-selling "Kijang" utility vehicle to only 730 units in March, ARA said.

Malaysian car sales climbed 15.8 percent to 87,624 units from 75,660, while Thailand saw the figures improve 12.2 percent to 61,495 from 54,786.

New vehicle sales in the Philippines for the quarter totaled only 18,014 units, down 14 percent from 20,980.

The first quarter saw the fall in a popular uprising of Joseph Estrada in the Philippines and the rise to power of President Gloria Arroyo in January.

Indonesia, ASEAN's largest member, remains mired in a leadership crisis and ethnic tensions.

Malaysia's national car Proton remained the most popular make with a 21-percent share of the market, followed by Toyota with 15 percent, and Mitsubishi and Isuzu with 11 percent each.

The rest of the market is shared by Malaysia's Perodua and Japanese car-makers Honda and Nissan.