Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) has trimmed the country’s 2021 auto sales forecast by 5.6pc to 500,000 units.
Passenger vehicle sales forecast is revised down by 5.6pc to 454,000, while commercial vehicle sales are expected 5.1pc below at 46,000 units.
July sales outlook is minimal as only showrooms in Sabah are allowed to operate under National Recovery Plan Phase 2, stated the association’s report. Vehicle assembly plants and component manufacturers located in Selangor and certain localities in Kuala Lumpur are not allowed to operate.
Production and sales in June
Production and sales tumbled in June owing to the nationwide lockdown during the month. Malaysia does not consider the automotive industry as an essential industry. In H1, monthly sales were also impacted by the various movement control restrictions by the government.
Total vehicle production in June 2021 slipped to 276 units from 45,044 units in June 2020. In H1, production grew by 44pc to 241,288 units from a year ago.
In June 2021, very few new vehicles were registered due to the closure of showrooms following the nationwide total lockdown for the whole month. Sales in June fell to 1,921 units compared to 44,755 units in June 2020. In H1, around 249,129 vehicles were sold, up by 45pc from a year-ago period. Sales in June were 96pc lower than in May.