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ASEAN NCAP’s efforts recognised at 2019 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards

Besides PLUS Berhad, ASEAN NCAP – the New Car Assessment Program for Southeast Asian Countries – was also a recipient of the 2019 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards. The awards programme, which has been ongoing since 1987, recognises achievement and innovation which will improve road safety. They are given to businesses or organisations which have developed initiatives or products that have made an outstanding contribution to the safety of the world’s roads.

ASEAN NCAP PMIRSA 2019 (1) — *ASEAN NCAP’s representatives, Ir. Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim (second from right) and Yahaya Ahmad (second from left) received the award from Prince Michael of Kent in London recently.*

The award for ASEAN NCAP is related to Vehicle Safety and recognises the aims to elevate vehicle safety standards, raise consumer awareness, and build a market for safety across South East Asia. ASEAN NCAP, hosted by the Malaysian Institute for Road Safety Research (MIROS), achieved a major legislative achievement: from March 1, 2020, all manufacturers selling vehicles in Malaysia will be required to display an ASEAN NCAP safety rating label for all passenger cars.

ASEAN NCAP has had its own crash test laboratory (referred to as PC3) since 2012 and has conducted some 100 tests which involve 90% of the models sold in the market. One in ten cars in the region now have been rated and 90% of the cars are rated 4 or the maximum of 5 stars.

MIROS PC3 — *ASEAN NCAP has its own crash test facility in Melaka and has tested some 100 models, especially popular ones like the Honda City (below)*

Commenting on the award, MIROS Director-General and ASEAN NCAP Chairperson, Dr. Siti Zaharah Ishak said: “We are pleased and honoured to be recognised as one of the winners for this distinguished award. As an independent body assessing the safety performance of new vehicles in an emerging market like the South East Asian countries, ASEAN NCAP has made notable achievements in the vehicle safety area. One significant impact is that we are able to increase vehicle safety information to the consumers through the assessments that we conducted for new vehicles that are sold in the region.”

“Furthermore, through these assessments, we have successfully amplified the safety level of vehicles sold in the region such as having minimum double airbags as standard, seatbelt reminder systems and also electronic stability control as a standard fitment. This award marks a significant step in our journey towards reducing the high number fatalities due to road crashes in this region,” she said.

Airbags — *Thanks to the efforts of ASEAN NCAP, more safety equipment and features have become standard in models sold in ASEAN markets.*

Other than performing assessments on new vehicles, ASEAN NCAP is also committed to work in areas that enhance the vehicle safety assessment such as positive engagement with relevant stakeholders. “I am confident this award will be a driving force for us to continue culminating in the reduction of vehicles with unsatisfactory safety levels in the South East Asia region,” added MIROS Director of Vehicle Safety and Biomechanics Research Centre and ASEAN NCAP Secretary-General, Adjunct Prof. Ir. Dr. Khairil Anwar Abu Kassim.

FEATURE – Teamwork, cars and drivers are all important for success in motorsports

It’s a Sunday night and you’re out with friends at your friendly neighbourhood mamak stall and on the screen is a Formula 1 race. You then think to yourself: “It’s just a matter of driving fast. Anyone can do it.” Think again.

Like other intense sports, motorsports requires its athletes to undergo constant training and be in peak physical form in order to excel. Typically, a driver in a race will have to be able to cope with g-forces higher than those experienced in everyday driving when taking corners in excess of 100 km/h. He or she must be able to feel oversteering or understeering due to tyre grip and the setup of the car’s suspension. In addition to being fit, a race car driver will need to have an in-depth understanding of the intricacies of a car.

For Proton R3’s Mitchell Cheah, Fariqe Hairuman, Syafiq Ali, Admi Shahrul, Nurul Husna, Faye Kusairi and Leona Chin, racing came naturally – but only after they began preparing for the race several weeks beforehand. ‘Weekend racers’ may just go to the track and drive fast but for those who are serious about racing, there’s a strict exercise regime and they must follow a healthy and balanced diet. Trips to the mamak stall are definitely out of the question (at least until after the racing season is over).

One of the drivers (we won’t tell who) even spends some time playing Call of Duty in the name of improving hand-eye coordination. Those who spend time on Playstation4’s racing simulators also gain ‘experience’ that can be useful when they race in the real world. So yes, it’s easy to drive a car, but challenging to race in one.

Teamwork is imperative for success
Another crucial aspect about competitive motorsports is the fact that it isn’t a one-man show. Teamwork is imperative for success – engineers are required to analyse and make quick adjustments to the car; engine and tyre specialists have their self-explanatory roles; a pit crew must be quick and precise at refuelling and replacing tyres; a crew chief, who oversees the technical crew; and a team manager who keeps administrative duties in check.

Typically, a racing team begins preparations several days before the actual race day. The driver(s) will have to work closely with the rest of the crew to ensure that their cars are set up for the circuit – tuning to the suspension is critical as every track has its own characteristics.

You wouldn’t want to use a soft suspension set-up for a track with lots of corners, unless you enjoy being in a boat that’s constantly bobbing up and down. There’s also the fact that the engine and drivetrain have to be tuned properly to ensure the car is able to provide a good compromise between acceleration and top speed.

While a car’s set-up is important, there’s only so much that can be done to boost the reliability of the car itself. For the Proton R3 drivers this year, the availability of the improved 2019 Saga and 2019 Iriz made a difference and both achieved significant success in the annual Sepang 1,000km (S1K) race.

This is no easy feat because these cars are driven at an average speed of 110 km/h. Other than the brief moments they are in for pit stops, they are constantly pushed hard and this year, that was for 9 hours and over 181 laps. The strain placed on the cars and drivers is therefore intense and both must be in top form.

A successful endeavour
Both the Proton R3 drivers and cars rose to the occasion and dominated the S1K. The 2019 Iriz that was driven by Mitchell and Fariqe captured first place while the 2019 Saga that was driven by Syafiq and Admi came in second.

Also impressive was the all-ladies team which managed to blitz past the competition from 26^th on the grid, to seventh overall, ahead of all the other lady drivers. When interviewed, all Proton’s racers attributed the success to the handling and reliability of their Malaysian-made and engineered cars.

All said and done, participating in motorsports events like the S1K takes dedication, discipline and a strong level of focus from the entire team. While many are able to drive well on the roads, participating in a race like the S1K requires more than just good driving skills.

Boost e-wallet payments now accepted at almost all Petron stations

If you’re a Petron user, you now have an additional option to pay for your purchases using the Boost e-wallet. Petron Malaysia has partnered with GHL Systems Bhd, which operates Boost, to enable cashless payments at almost all its stations nationwide.

The collaboration also enables payments via all leading domestic Malaysian e-wallets such as Goodkredit, Grabpay, Maybank QRPAY, MBSB, Mcash and Touch’NGo as well as cross border e-wallets (Alipay and Unionpay) which are presently accepted in Malaysia.

“We are excited to collaborate with Boost to create more payment options that are convenient and secure for our customers, besides the rewards and promotions. This is in line with our promise to customers to develop and offer more innovative products and services. Public acceptance and use of e-wallets is increasing rapidly, and our service stations are more than ready to fuel this demand,” said Choong Kum Choy, Petron Malaysia Head of Retail and Commercial Business.

In conjunction with its collaboration with Boost, Petron is rewarding customers for fuelling at Petron stations through the Spend & Win SURE ONG! campaign. From now until January 31, 2020, with a minimum spend of RM50 using Boost, users get RM5 as cashback (limited to two cashbacks per user).

In addition, with each RM40 spent at Petron stations, Petron Miles members and Boost users will earn one entry to the lucky draw contest. To participate in the lucky draw, all transactions must be swiped with a valid registered Petron Miles card.

What can you win? Prizes and Boost cashback worth up to RM1,000,000 consisting of 15 Grand Prize winners who will receive RM8,888 cash each. 150 first prize winners will receive RM888 cash and 500 consolation prize winners will receive 18,888 Petron Miles points each.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia to hold Instagram-exclusive sale on 12.12

The ‘12-12’ fever starts peaking tonight and Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) is joining in the celebration of the ‘double 12’ date that is the theme of a shopping carnival.

VPCM will participate with a first-of-its-kind Instagram-exclusive sale on Instagram for just one day (24 hours). 12 units of the Volkswagen Polo with the JOIN accessories package and 12 units of the Beetle with a free spoiler and VW Tint will be sold on Volkswagen Malaysia’s Instagram shop (@volkswagenmalaysia) at RM12,000 less than the regular retail prices.

To enjoy the exclusive deals, customers need to place a booking fee of RM500 for the Polo or RM1,000 for the Beetle on the payment platform using a credit card. Once processed, customers will receive a call from a Volkswagen representative for arrangements on their preferred dealership and to complete the registration and delivery of the vehicle.

Volkswagen Polo and Beetle — Only 12 units of the Polo and Beetle with the free extras and RM12,000 discount will be available throughout Thursday (12.12). If you miss the opportunity to get one of them, you can still get the Polo with savings of up to RM6,000 and the Beetle with savings of up to RM5,000 but you must place a booking before December 31, 2019.

All Volkswagen models come with 3-years of free scheduled maintenance, a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty and 5-years of complimentary roadside assistance.

“Volkswagen Malaysia were pioneers in this when we partnered with Lazada to sell the special edition Beetle and Polo during their 12.12 sale the past two years. Both editions sold out almost immediately, and this year, we continue our trailblazing streak as the very first automotive brand in the country to sell products on Instagram. We look forward to making history,” said Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM.

This is the first time an automotive brand is selling cars on its social media platform in Malaysia and Mr. Winter believes that purchasing a car online is now the new norm with the rise of e-commerce platforms.

VW and Lazada — Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia has found that online shopping is popular even for cars and has been working with Lazada on a few occasions to offer special editions of its models. Last year, it offered 11 units of a Polo in a Black & White edition.

For more details, follow Volkswagen Malaysia on Instagram at @volkswagenmalaysia or visit https://bit.ly/2RDlNzW . To know more about the Polo, Beetle and other models available in Malaysia, visit www.volkswagen.com.my.

PLUS receives Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for road safety initiatives in 2019

PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) is the first Asian highway company to receive the prestigious Prince Michael International Road Safety Award (PMIRSA) for its road safety initiatives in 2019. The award was presented in London on Tuesday and received from Prince Michael of Kent by PLUS Managing Director, Datuk Azman Ismail.

PLUS is one of the 23 award recipients this year and received the award in recognition of the company’s contribution towards successfully implementing multiple road safety initiatives along its 1,134.1-km highway across the Peninsular Malaysia.

“This award is a strong testimony that PLUS is internationally recognised as a world-class highway that adheres to high levels of safety. It reaffirms us as an organization that places safety above all,” said Datuk Azman.

Integrated road and traffic management system
As Malaysia’s largest highway operator, serving over 1.7 million users daily, the organization has implemented an integrated and innovative road and traffic management system known as the PLUS 3Es encompassing Engineering, Education and Enforcement since the first quarter of 2017. Through its engineering initiatives, it has ensured that 100% of its highways achieved a 3-star iRAP Rating Standard.

Through its educational collaboration with the Malaysian National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, PLUS co-created the Expressway Operations Safety Passport (EOSP) that has increased the safety awareness of highway workers. Upon its implementation, EOSP had contributed to a significant 75% reduction in fatalities involving highway and contract workers on the highways.

The EOSP programme is a first for the Malaysian highway industry, and the EOSP certification is mandatory for all roadside workers on PLUS highways before entering their respective work zones and has been identified for re-application across all tolled highways in Malaysia. The programme receives full support from the Malaysian Highway Authority as well as the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Transport.

About the Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards
Prince Michael of Kent is a leading advocate of road safety, working to support the UN Decade of Action, an ambitious international programme which has already saved millions of lives promotes and implements good practice. Since 1987, the awards have given public recognition to those who have improved road safety throughout Britain. Now, the awards programme recognizes outstanding achievement and innovation worldwide. Each year, the most outstanding examples of international road safety initiatives are given public recognition by the PMIRSA.

Locally-assembled Mercedes-Benz GLC range updated for 2020

Some years back, when Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) made the decision to invest in local assembly of SUVs, it was certainly a good move. The SUV segment was booming and even customers in the premium luxury segment were gravitating towards SUVs. The model chosen was the GLC and being assembled locally (at the plant in Pekan, Pahang), it could have an attractive pricetag.

This year, over the period from January to October, almost 1,900 units of the GLC have been assembled and in recent months, the units assembled have been the updated versions which were launched today. The line-up consists of the GLC 200, GLC 300 4MATIC as well as the GLC 300 4MATIC Coupe.

“With the new generation Mercedes-Benz SUV line-up, we are redefining the standards of luxury SUV segment in Malaysia by combining a different level of mobility and innovation. As part of our product offensive strategy, the line-up offers our customers comfort and luxury beyond what you would expect from an SUV, in addition to the spaciousness, practicality as well as the performance,” said Michael Jopp, Vice-President, Sales & Marketing Passenger Cars, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

GLC 200 & GLC 300 4MATIC (RM299,888 & RM350,000 est)
Powered by the 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged M264 petrol engine, the GLC 200 and GLC 300 4MATIC have outputs of 197 bhp/320 Nm of torque and 258 bhp/370 Nm, respectively. Both SUVs have the 9-stage 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission as standard, with the GLC 300 having 4MATIC which delivers power to all four wheels.

The frontal appearance of the GLC 200 continues with muscularly sculpted surfaces and distinctive details with a heavily contoured grille. The chrome elements now run from the front to the rear end while the bright LED headlamps have been restyled. These are included in the Optical Off-road package, along with the 20-inch 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels.

The GLC 300 4MATIC comes equipped with the Night Package based on the AMG Line exterior that features striking, black design elements to give a sporty and expressive character while enhancing the exclusivity and high-quality details of the exterior.

It comes with the 20-inch AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels and the MULTIBEAM LED headlamps which respond to traffic situations with individually controllable LEDs. There is always optimum illumination of the road ahead without dazzling oncoming drivers.

A further highlight is the panoramic sliding sunroof which lets plenty of light into the cabin with its large glass area. Of course, in our strong tropical sunshine, having too much light coming in may not necessarily be good for comfort and the sunroof can be closed off at the touch of a button.

On the inside, the GLC 200 and GLC 300 4MATIC have the Exclusive Line and AMG Line packages, respectively. Both SUVs come with the illuminated door sills with the brand name illuminated in brilliant white and set in an elegantly machined stainless steel panel on the door sill. ARTICO Leather upholstery is standard in both the SUVs.

The MBUX (the interface known as the Mercedes-Benz User Experience) is complemented by a fully-digital 12.3-inch instrument cluster with Classic, Progressive and Sporty display styles. The touch-operated media display is 10.25-inches in size, with the resolution of 1920 x 720 pixels.

The GLC 200’s suspension has generous ground clearance with damping controlled individually for each wheel according to the driving situation, vehicle speed and the condition of the surface. The more advanced AGILITY CONTROL suspension with selective damping system in the GLC 300 4MATIC combines balanced ride comfort and high driving stability. Thanks to the passive damping system, the driver will benefit from superior ride comfort on every road surface. Ride characteristics, damping effects and stabilisation are continuously and automatically adapted to the condition of the road surface.

GLC 300 4MATIC Coupe (RM419,888)
For those who want the advantages of a SUV but still can’t give up sportiness, Mercedes-Benz offers the GLC 300 4MATIC Coupe as the best of both worlds. This model is powered by the 2-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged M264 petrol engine (258 bhp/370 Nm) that enables a claimed 0 – 100 km/h time of 6.3 seconds.

Like the GLC 300, the Coupe is also equipped with a Night Package based on the AMG Line exterior. The AMG Line includes sport aprons and 20-inch AMG 5 twin-spoke light-alloy wheels. It also comes with the MULTIBEAM LED headlamps.

The exterior has an even sportier look with the imposing diamond radiator grille that catches the eyes, just like the striking air intakes in the bumper. At the back, the GLC 300 Coup has an intriguing tailpipe trim integrated into the bumper and the streamlined LED rear tail lamps with their contemporary lighting design.

Inside, there are intelligent comfort functions, a new operating system and digital displays. With MBUX and Mercedes me connect, the driver of the GLC 300 Coupe now has a new and intuitive form of control – using either the intuitive touch control buttons or simple voice output.

The fully-digital cockpit with two displays makes it possible to provide more information to the driver. There is a 10.25-inch media display with touch functionality and a 12.3-inch instrument cluster which includes navigation display. The inside is now more contemporary than ever, with leather upholstery and the light longitudinal-grain aluminium trim.

With the latest update, the GLC 300 Coupe has a Sports suspension package which delivers a firmer set-up for the damper characteristics. It also comes with the PRE-SAFE system – a system that works to prepare and protect the passengers in an accident, before it even happens. The system is able to sense when a collision is unavoidable, thanks for the sensors placed throughout the vehicle, which function with multiple safety systems. Once a collision is detected, the system prepares the passengers by tightening the front seatbelts, adjusting front head restraints and will even close the windows and sunroof.

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ASEAN NCAP’s efforts recognised at 2019 Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards

FEATURE – Teamwork, cars and drivers are all important for success in motorsports

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PLUS receives Prince Michael International Road Safety Award for road safety initiatives in 2019

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