Speaking to reporters after a meeting with the Council of Eminent Persons at Ilham Tower here today, Proton chairman Syed Faisal Akbar said the company would “certainly proceed with discussions” regarding the plan.
However, he did not comment on Mahathir’s call to start another national car project which received flak from some who questioned the need for such a move.
The idea of an Asean car was first mooted by Mahathir in early 2015 during a test drive of a Proton with Indonesian President Joko Widodo.
Following bilateral talks between the two leaders last month, Mahathir hinted at a revival of the project, which was stymied three years into its execution.
Geely acquired a 49.9% stake in Proton in a deal supported by the previous government.
The move drew strong protest from Mahathir, who a year earlier gave up his longtime post as advisory chairman in the company after a fallout with then-prime minister Najib Razak.
Syed Faisal said Geely and Proton were planning to invite Mahathir to visit the Geely factories in China during his planned trip to Beijing next month.
Geely is based in Hangzhou city, some 1,200km from the China capital.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that Mahathir’s trip to Beijing had been provisionally agreed on for mid-August.
Last Friday, Mahathir himself said he wanted to visit China as early as possible and would be heading there next month.
This followed Putrajaya’s move to suspend China-backed projects worth more than US$20 billion.
Dr M: We’ll start a new national car with help from neighbours