The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Li Qiang, today viewed the all-new 2026 Proton Saga and Proton eMAS 5 during their visit to the first public showcase held in conjunction with the ASEAN Summit at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.
Also in attendance were YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry, YB Dato’ Seri Utama Mohamad Hasan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eric Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding Group, and Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of Proton.
The event marked a significant milestone in Malaysia–China relations, highlighting both nations’ shared commitment to industrial cooperation, technological innovation, and mutual growth. The presence of both leaders underscored the role of the automotive sector as a key pillar in advancing Malaysia’s national transformation agenda and China’s ongoing engagement in regional industrial development.
The joint display of Proton’s upcoming models reflects the success of the strategic partnership between DRB-HICOM Berhad and Geely Holding Group, which continues to drive Proton’s transformation into a modern, globally competitive carmaker.
Through this collaboration, Proton combines Malaysian design and engineering expertise with Geely’s global technology leadership to enhance the nation’s automotive ecosystem, thus nurturing local innovation, developing new technical capabilities, and supporting sustainable industry growth.
The all-new 2026 Proton Saga marks a new chapter for the brand. Built on the company’s Advanced Modular Architecture (AMA) platform, it is the first model to be fully designed, engineered, and validated by Malaysian talent, with technical collaboration from Geely. Proton holds full intellectual property rights (IPR) for the model.
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Joining it on display is the 2026 Proton eMAS 5, Malaysia’s first affordable electric vehicle (EV) and the second model in the eMAS lineup after the eMAS 7. Developed with Geely’s design and technology, the eMAS 5 represents a key step in Malaysia’s transition toward sustainable mobility and supports the Government’s National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR).
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The public showcase of these two new models during the ASEAN Summit reinforces the deepening partnership between Malaysia and China and reflects their shared vision for industrial cooperation, technology transfer, and human capital development to drive long-term, sustainable growth.
The moment also aligns with Malaysia’s ambition to establish the Automotive Hi-Tech Valley (AHTV) in Tanjung Malim, Perak, as a regional hub for advanced vehicle production, research, and innovation. The initiative aims to attract new investment and strengthen Malaysia’s position as a leader in Southeast Asia’s automotive landscape.
