Proton Holdings Bhd and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) should continue to collaborate in areas they
had previously agreed on, said Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed.

This, he added, is despite the recent developments in the pioneer national car maker.

He said the collaboration talks, had benefited both carmakers and the automotive industry, as a whole.

"As this is the case, I do not see why the new owners of Proton, DRB-Hicom Bhd, should not continue with what had been agreed to by the old management.

"The previous Proton management and Perodua had agreed to collaborate in certain areas such as vendor distribution and marketing, as the merger proposal was extreme," he added.

He was speaking to reporters after unveiling the wide range of maritime industry-related services offered by T.A.G Marine Sdn Bhd, here today.

Mustapa said MITI would continue to engage with both national car
companies. He also said that he was given a briefing by DRB-Hicom Bhd last week.

Perodua Managing Director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh said recently that the compact car maker is open to collaboration talks with DRB-Hicom.

However, he reiterated that Perodua, as the country's largest car maker, is still against any kind of merger between the two entities.

On Jan 16, DRB-Hicom entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Khazanah Nasional Bhd, to acquire 42.74 per cent of the issued and paid up share capital of Proton for RM1.291 billion. -- Bernama