Have an old car lying around which doesn’t go anywhere and should be disposed of? Proton will give you RM2,000 for it and you can use that money for the purchase of a brand new Proton vehicle. In doing so, you will help in the removal of old vehicles which may no longer be roadworthy.
The offer is given under the Malaysian automaker’s PROTON Xchange programme launched today by Transport Minister, Anthony Loke. The programme is run in collaboration with Car Medic Sdn Bhd, an authorized automotive treatment facility (AATF) which will receive the vehicles and then dismantle them and either recycle parts or dispose of them in a proper manner.
RM4.8 million programme
Announcing the programme, Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of Proton, said PROTON Xchange is in support for the government’s efforts to enhance road safety and promote sustainable mobility. He revealed that Proton has allocated RM4.8 million for the programme which will run until December 31, 2025.
Delighted with Proton’s initiative, the Transport Minister made a surprise announcement that the ministry will also give support by allowing a waiver of roadtax for the first year on all new Proton vehicles purchased under the programme.
What vehicles qualify?
Vehicles which qualify for the programme are all passenger types (sedan, hatchback, SUV, MPV, etc) that are 15 years old or older. They can be of any brand but the person who use the programme must be the registered owner of the vehicle.
However, the minister made a suggestion that some flexibility be given for those who may want to buy a new Proton for their parents who may be the owners of the old car. In an immediate response, Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar said he agreed to the idea and would include such a relevant clause in the conditions.
Upon completion of the process, the vehicle owner will then be assisted by a Proton representative for the purchase of a new model and it can be any one from the Proton range, including the e.MAS 7 EV. The RM2,000 for the old vehicle will then be deducted from the purchase price. Should there be any promotional rebates and other offers at the time, these will also be available.
Vehicle de-registration
Car Medic, a Department of Environment-certified and JPJ-appointed AATF since 2020, offers convenient e-Deregistration services (door-to-door or at their facility) and handles restriction checks, deregistration, towing, safe disposal, and COD issuance for this program. The e-Dereg service allows MyKad holders in selected areas to complete JPJ deregistration digitally at their vehicle’s location, while also assisting others with e-Dereg for groups of more than 5 vehicles within two days.
De-registration is an important step in such activities to ensure that the vehicle is no longer registered for use. Vehicle owners will need to provide a Vehicle Ownership Certificate (VOC) for their new vehicle together with a JPJK1KD form to prove their old vehicle has been officially deregistered by the JPJ, and a Certificate of Destruction (COD) which will be provided by Car Medic.
Of course, not all 15-year old cars may be in an unroadworthy condition and if they are running well, their owners may prefer to keep them and not have another 7-year loan to worry about. But for those who no longer have a need for a very old car and it has almost no value, then the Proton Xchange programme can at least get them some money for it.
Other Proton Xchange programmes
This is not the first time Proton is having such a programme. In 2009, it also ran a programme with a similar name but at that time, it was part of a government economic stimulus programme. The government-funded programme provided RM5,000 for vehicles that were submitted for disposal.
Over a period of about 7 months, Proton received almost 26,000 applications – far more than anticipated – and the programme had to be terminated as the funding was quickly used up. Nevertheless, the automaker ran a special incentive scheme for those who were not successful in getting their vehicles disposed under the programme.
The automaker also ran similar programmes in later years where they took in older cars for disposal and offered rebates for the purchase of new models.
“The PROTON Xchange Programme represents a significant step towards a safer and greener automotive future for Malaysia, demonstrating Proton’s commitment to both its customers and the nation. We also hope that this initiative can help to incentivise the replacement of older vehicles to new cars, which are equipped with advanced safety features that can minimise safety hazards on the road,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton Holdings Berhad.