Tag Archives: Sabah

NEWS

Jaecoo launches first East Malaysian dealership in Kota Kinabalu

Following a busy month of J7 deliveries, Jaecoo is progressing in its commitment to ensure network readiness with the launch of a dealership in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Operated by Universal Jaecoo Sdn Bhd, the new facility is Jaecoo’s first dealership in East Malaysia.

“East Malaysia is an important market to us. Fans can expect to be immersed in a premium ownership experience that embodies the Jaecoo “From Classic, Beyond Classic” brand essence.

“We believe the J7 fits right in with the appetite of SUV fans in Sabah and JAECOO is ready to fulfil this demand,” said Chery Corporate Malaysia Executive Vice President, Leo Chen.

The dealership, which is located off Jalan Lintas, features a unique geometric exterior and has the capacity to entertain a healthy foot traffic of 200 visitors a month. It is fitted to offer customers an end-to-end experience from the point of purchase to after-sales care.

Customers can also expect to enjoy creature comforts including a cosy customer lounge complete with a dedicated coffee and tea bar, high-speed internet connectivity, and prayer rooms.

Jaecoo Malaysia Vice President, Emily Lek said patrons of the dealership will have the opportunity to experience the Jaecoo J7 AWD and 2WD variants on display.

“Our professionally trained sales advisors are also ready to attend to product enquiries and to arrange test drives upon request. With the future in mind, we believe we are well positioned in the market and have the capabilities to expand in tandem with our customer base in Sabah,” she added.

“The team at Universal Jaecoo is ever ready to deliver the best for our customers in Sabah. We are thrilled to be entrusted to carry the Jaecoo brand which is a testament to our capabilities and experience as an auto retailer that understands the East Malaysian market,” said Universal Jaecoo Sdn Bhd Managing Director, Datuk Chok Yun Kiong.

NEWS

Proton opens new regional parts centre in Sabah to meet growing demand

PROTON has announced the launch of its regional parts centre (RPC) at Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, following the establishment of a similar facility in Sarawak last year.

It is capable of reducing lead for spare parts time by 30% on the back of increased output capacity from Proton Parts Centre Sdn Bhd (PPCSB) in West Malaysia and direct overseas shipment.

Proton says the new RPC is to meet the growing demand in Sabah, which is its third highest state for vehicle sales in Malaysia.

Tucked away in a commercial area in Inanam, the new facility boasts a built-up floor space of approximately 28,000 sq ft, which is 2.5 times bigger than its previous location. It can receive up to six containers of parts on site simultaneously, up from two containers previously.

It is currently processing an average of 26 containers per month to fully utilise its capability to store up to three months of stock. With more storage spaces for parts, lead times to deliver to dealerships and customers could be reduced.

The company adds that its RPCs in East Malaysia can handle up to 28 containers from West Malaysia and overseas per month, an increase in capacity from the previous limit of 24 containers per month.

PPCSB also deployed a new warehouse management system (WMS) at all its locations earlier this year, enabling the daily delivery capacity at the new RPC to jump 66% to 300 lines in July from 180 lines previously, with a maximum capacity of 400 lines slated to be achieved by September.

The added space also allows the allocation of 8,500 bins to store parts, up from 5,000 bins in the previous facilities. As a result, the stock value is expected to increase 1.5 times to RM9 million by December 2024, up from RM5.8 million a year earlier.

On the sales front, Proton’s market share in Sabah has ascended steadily from 10% in 2018 to 25.9% in 2023 and currently stands at 27.4% year-to-date for 2024.

In 2023, sales of Proton vehicles in East Malaysia contributed 15.8% to the company’s total sales volume. The top three Proton models sold were the Saga with 13,700 units followed by the Persona with 4,264 and the X50 with 2,955 units, respectively.

NEWS

EVC, Gentari become first CPOs to get licence for installation of public EV chargers in Sabah

EV Connection (EVC), the operator of JomCharge, and Gentari became the first parties to receive licences for public installation of EV charging systems in Sabah from the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECoS).

ECoS licences are equivalent to the licences issued by Suruhanjaya Tenaga (ST) in Peninsular Malaysia and are pivotal in ensuring safe installations that comply with safety standards to protect public usage.

EVC and Gentari were also the first parties in Peninsular Malaysia to be licenced by ST.

ECoS is a statutory body established by the State Government of Sabah since 10 January 2023. It operates as the official regulator for the energy sector within the Chief Minister’s portfolio.

The primary objectives of ECoS are to ensure secure, sustainable, affordable, and accessible energy for the State of Sabah.

It plays a pivotal role in shaping Sabah’s energy landscape, promoting responsible energy practices, and safeguarding the interests of both consumers and the environment.

Prior to the licence handover ceremony, ECoS organised a briefing session that was attended by representatives from BOMBA, local authorities, installation contractors, and EV Charge Point Operators (CPOs).

Haikal Zubir, Chief Operating Officer of Gentari Green Mobility remarked, “Gentari is committed towards supporting the green mobility transition across the whole of Malaysia. Being the first CPO to be licensed in Sabah in partnership with EVC underscores Gentari’s focus on safety, reliability and customer centricity in our operations.”

Ir Lee Yuen How, Managing Director of EVC commented, “We are very honoured to be one of the first CPOs alongside Gentari to receive these licences from ECoS. Public safety whilst charging has always been of paramount importance to us and we look forward to working closely with ECoS in ensuring this.”

As the number of EVs continuously grows in Sabah, EVC and Gentari are committed to supporting the Sabah EV Charging infrastructure that is required to underpin such growth.

This is in line with the sustainable energy agenda as a strategic initiative stated in the Sabah Energy Roadmap & Masterplan 2040 and also in tune with the federal government’s target of achieving 10,000 public chargers by 2025.