PERODUA- PHASE OUT KANCIL

PERODUA-KANCIL
PERODUA TO PHASE OUT KANCIL NEXT MONTH
By Wan Nor Azura Mior Abdul Aziz

RAWANG, May 4 (Bernama) -- Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) is
preparing to phase out its first and oldest model, Kancil, next month after 16
years on the road.
Its Managing Director, Datuk Syed Abdull Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar, said Perodua
would stop production of the popular 660cc Kancil and would replace it with the
Viva.
"Right now we are in the final month of the production of the Kancil. After
16 years (and) after 750,000 Kancils on the road, we are ready to phase it out."
"We would probably launch the Viva 660 basic to replace the Kancil around
July," he told Bernama in an interview recently at the manufacturing plant here.
The Kancil was the first model manufactured by Perodua, introduced shortly
after the company's incorporation in 1994.
The first batch of Kancils was launched on August 29, 1994, with a
manufacturing capacity of 45,000 units per annum.
"For April this year, almost 1,000 units of the Kancil have been registered
and we are now down to the final 1,000 to be sold in May or early June the
latest", he said.
Since its maiden launch, the Kancil has been through several processes of
modifications, upgrades and facelifts.
As for the basic Viva, he said the price would be cheaper compared to the
current Viva.
Perodua expects to sell a RM25,000 entry level car.
Currently, he said the cheapest Viva is about RM28,000.
"We are doing all these to prepare for our big launch in November of our
Multi-Purpose Vehicle. Our mass production will start sometime end-September. So
we do this in preparing for this new line for the MPV," Syed Abdull said.
The new Perodua MPV is internally codenamed Perodua D46T and is expected to
be priced between RM60,000 and RM65,000, he said.
The new Perodua D46T will be based on the Toyota Passo Sette, also known as
the Daihatsu Boon Luminas.
It measures 4,180mm long, 1,695mm wide and is 1,620mm tall, with a long
2,750mm wheelbase to maximise the interior space (2,550mm long). -- BERNAMA
WNA MR SD

Pineapple-KOSAS

KOSAS-PINEAPPLES
KOSAS TO TAP MIDDLE EAST AND EUROPEAN MARKETS FOR PINEAPPLE PRODUCTS
By Wan Nor Azura Mior Abdul Aziz

BANTING, May 8 (Bernama) -- The Koperasi Serbaguna Anak-Anak Selangor Bhd
(KOSAS)is planning to market pineapple products to the Middle East, apart from
stepping up exports to Europe.
Its chairman Datuk Mohd Aini Taib said the multipurpose cooperative had
plans to export 80 containers of pineapple products to Europe.
"To date, the cooperative has successfully exported 15 containers worth
RM180 million to Europe", he told Bernama here today.
KOSAS has 800 hectares of land in Kuala Langat which is suitable for
pineapple cultivation.
"We have been encouraged to cultivate pineapples by the Selangor Agriculture
Department and through funding from Agro Bank", Mohd Aini said.
He said KOSAS was also planning to expand its hectarge under pineapple
cultivation to 200 hectares in Tanjung Sepat, Banting.
The produce from the harvest would cater for local needs and the export
market.
Mohd Aini said pineapples grown in the country were inadequate in meeting
local market demand as the industry suffered from an acute shortage of
workers.
As such, KOSAS was contemplating tapping the Indonesian market as a
processing centre for high quality pineapples. -- BERNAMA
WNA MR AS