Attractive option: If eligible, recipients will receive a matching grant of up to RM2,000, which will also be matched by national automakers Proton and Perodua.
PETALING JAYA: Owners of older cars are now considering replacing their clunkers with a brand-new Proton or Perodua, thanks to the RM4,000 matching grant programme aimed at keeping the environment and roads safer.
This positive sentiment was echoed by 55-year-old Thomas Wong, who welcomed the timely financial incentive that help eligible owners make the transition.
He said the RM4,000 incentive might be the reason he trades in his 30-year-old Honda Accord for a new Proton X70.
Given its age, Wong said he would likely receive only RM600 if he were to trade in his old car with second-hand car dealers.
“Besides that, my road tax also costs more than RM200 a year.
“The value of my car has decreased so significantly that I think I should trade it in for a newer model as I approach my retirement years,” said Wong.
He hopes the Transport Ministry will increase its quota to benefit some 5,000 car owners based on the RM10mil allocation under Budget 2026 for the programme.
“I think eventually, more people would opt for this programme,” he added.
Under the programme, eligible recipients will receive a matching grant of up to RM2,000, which will also be matched by national automakers Proton and Perodua.
The process requires the de-registration of old vehicles through the Road Transport Department’s (JPJ) online Vehicle Deregistration System (e-DeREG) and its proper disposal at an authorised automotive treatment facility.
Proton said that under the scheme, customers purchasing the latest Saga and the all-electric e.MAS 5 models are eligible for a company incentive of up to RM1,000.
Those buying the new Proton X50, X70 or e.MAS 7 will receive a higher incentive of RM2,000.
Combined with the government’s matching grant, Proton said the total incentives customers can receive amount to RM2,000 and RM4,000, respectively.
Car owner Sally Ng, 42, said she is keen to take up the offer after a harrowing experience in which she lost control of her vehicle upon hitting a puddle on the highway.
“It was such a close call as my car spun in circles.
“Fortunately, I did not hit the divider.
“If I wasn’t so lucky, I would’ve slammed into something.
“It is a wake-up call for me to get a better car,” she added.
As for 38-year-old Ashwin Kumar, he plans to stick with his 30-year-old Toyota Camry, which has given him no major issues despite clocking 360,000km.
“I might as well aim for 500,000km in mileage before I retire this car,” he said.
Ashwin added that maintaining his old car is relatively inexpensive.
“I believe older cars are easier to fix because they have fewer sensors and are more mechanically based.
“As long as they serve the purpose of getting from point A to B,” he added.
Meanwhile, 40-year-old Amelia Adnan hopes the matching grant programme will be expanded to include other car brands.
