Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the automaker has over 200,000 units of pending orders – an unexpected number for the group – on the back of the government’s initiative to drive vehicle sales by providing the tax exemption.
RAWANG: Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) is optimistic that 2022 will be a bumper year after registering better-than-expected vehicle sales and bookings in the first half of the year (1H22).
With a vehicle production capacity of about 28,000 units per month, the group is confident of meeting its customers’ car registration deadline of March 31, 2023 and be eligible for the sales and service tax (SST) exemption.
Perodua president and chief executive officer Datuk Zainal Abidin Ahmad said the automaker has over 200,000 units of pending orders – an unexpected number for the group – on the back of the government’s initiative to drive vehicle sales by providing the tax exemption.
“For customers who booked before June 30, be rest assured that they will enjoy the SST exemption,” he told reporters at Perodua’s mid-year get-together event here yesterday.
Despite rising inflation, Zainal said car prices are expected to be maintained at least until the end of the year due to better cost management.
“As of now, the group is able to absorb the rising cost of materials,” he said.
The car manufacturer had sold 127,343 vehicles in 1H22 – a 30% surge compared with the same period last year following the SST exemption deadline.
“On the last day of the SST exemption, Perodua saw an unprecedented one-day booking of 25,100 vehicles on June 30,” he added.
However, Zainal said issues such as labour and parts shortages were still present.
Despite the recent policy of increasing the minimum wage to RM1,500 per month, it was a challenge for the group to recruit foreign workers especially for Perodua’s vendors.
To resolve the issue, the group is working closely with its partners to ensure the continuous supply of automotive parts, according to Zainal.
“That being said, we hope that the manpower issue can be resolved quickly as the impact on the industry and, to some extent, the country is significant,” he said.
Perodua is maintaining its full-year sales target of 247,800 units.
