Group Lotus for sale?

In todays issue 808 (Saturday 29 may 2010) Hardcopy of  The Edge Malaysia, there is an article on page 14 headed
Two more Directors to leave Proton:
In the article which has not yet appeared online they discuss the reasons for the directors leaving...
The final two paragraphs read...

Another issue that has cropped up is the possible sale of a block in Lotus plc, the wholly owned UK-subsidiary of Proton based in Norwich UK.
Sources say a group - a joint venture between a Malaysian and a foreign entity - is seeking to purchase a stake in Lotus, something that has not gone down well with some board members.


I'll keep an eye on this in the next few weeks. As far as MUM is concerned Lotus have never shown any interest in collaborating in a partnership role.I was a bit of a lone voice in management meetings... I'm sure Oh kah Beng wouldn't mind selling us a few units given the chance.

Another recent Star article suggests that Proton's recent discussions with VW may have come to an inconclusive end...
Proton-VW courtship running out of gas

By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU and EUGENE MAHALINGAM
starbiz@thestar.com.my


In todays NST there was an article headed:
  A positive spin to local motor racing
It mentions Johor circuit. It would seem that the circuits role in local Malaysian motorsport is being reviewed.

IT has been two weeks of refreshing announcements as far as the local motorsports scene is concerned.
What gives it good vibes is that the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) has taken a more open approach to development.


With the Johor Circuit set to be reactivated, this will see the national series contested at the two surviving tracks in the country.
Ideally there should be more circuits serving development, but at least the two circuits will from now complement each other and not only co-exist as in the past 12 years.

Hopefully, MUM can play a part in this reactivation!

DRB-Hicom are busy opening a college and importing Westfields

Today I read two articles on DRB-Hicom

The Star
The International College of Automotive (Icam) is situated within its integrated complex in the Peramu Jaya industrial area here and can accommodate up to 1,300 students.

He said RM31mil had been allocated for Icam, and so far RM6mil had been utilised to set up the temporary campus on a 1.9ha plot of land. The facilities include an administrative building, a student affairs centre, 10 classrooms, five laboratories, a resource centre, a multi-purpose hall and a computer laboratory.

The permanent campus is expected to be completed in 2012 on an adjacent 14.9ha site.

Birmingham Post
The Kingswinford company, which currently produces about 400 vehicles a year as kit-car or ready-built models, agreed a deal with Malaysian firm DRB-HICOM following support from UK Trade & Investment.

Maybe DRB-Hicom might want supply some cars to Motorsport University Malaysia.
Perhaps the students could assemble the kits at the campus. We could then use them for driver training... Just an idea.
Westfield are available as kits


 Their education division may also be future suppliers of educational products and even students! Alex Yoong, who was kind enough to lend his name to my project (see MUM Webpage) is ambassador to TOC another Malaysian Automotive college that is gaining recognition locally.

Things are slowly falling into place.

Duke of York in Malaysia promoting UK Malaysia ties

The Duke of York is in Malaysia promoting UK Malaysian business. . I hope the Duke has worked his magic and all goes well!
ASLI sponsored event

Picture taken from the Business Times article:
Here are two small portion of the article:
International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed said Malaysia would need collaboration in the services sector, especially in financial services and human capital development, and looked forward for input from the UK.


Perak Crown Prince Raja Nazrin Shah said for British-Malaysian ties to reach new heights, there must continue to be openness.
"If there are problems and issues, these should be worked out with genuine sincerity. A dialogue between different cultures alerts both parties to any biases that might exist ... new horizons of opportunities can then be expanded."
He also called for constructive interaction at all levels, be it governments, think-tanks, universities and civil society organisations.

 I am due to speak at the ASLI Automotive conference in December. Lets see if I have anything to talk about!


I thought I'd finish with a video of the Duke talking to David Frost.



I have added this video because the Duke discusses his 'Performance" which is now monitored by Price Waterhouse. Interesting!

NEW MALAYSIA MOTOR SPORTS INSTITUTE? YOUR OPINION?

A Blog
http://kereta.info/new-malaysia-motor-sports-institute-your-opinion/

has the following entry:
NEW MALAYSIA MOTOR SPORTS INSTITUTE? YOUR OPINION?

Motor Sports: National Youth Skills Institute For Motor Sports In The Offing
SERDANG, April 5 (Bernama) — The Youth and Sports Ministry is mulling setting up a National Youth Skills Institute which will focus solely on motor sports, said its minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek.
He said the institute would offer courses related to the engineering and technical aspects of motor sports with the cooperation of the Sepang International Circuit (SIC).
“We will raise this matter up with the Cabinet so that it can be be included in the 10th Malaysia Plan,” he told reporters after opening a forum on motor sports here Monday.
He said motor sports held a huge potential to the point that it could an industry of its own and contributing to the nation’s economy coupled with offering plentiful job opportunities to Malaysians.
He added that in Europe and the United States, the organising of motor sports were very big projects which also involved other industries like tourism, food and entertainment, insurance and the hotel industry.
Also present was SIC chairman Datuk Mokhzani Tun Dr Mahathir who acted as the chairman of the forum

I read this with interest. I have presented my plan (Sepang version) to both the Ministry of Sport (Azalina) and Datuk Mokhzani.

In answer to the question posed by the Kerata-info blog. Please check out slide 22 (Bernama survey) on the presentation shown below.

Motorsport University Malaysia

View more presentations from johnsean.

I must say I am disapointed in Lotus Engineering Malaysia.