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MMSDA

The Malaysia Motorcycle & Scooter Dealers Association (MMSDA) commended the efforts by the government in initiating the Keluarga Malaysia Automotive Discount Voucher aimed at helping those affected by the recent flash flood.

The initiative allows motorcycle and car owners who are affected to be eligible for a discount voucher of RM1,000 to help ease the cost of repair and parts replacement of affected vehicles.

Affected owners can redeem the voucher at the authorized service centre and dealership selected for this program.

According to MMSDA, below are the list of motorcycle companies that are involved with the initiative:

Meanwhile, MMSDA reminds the public to redeem the RM1,000 voucher before March 31st and to make appointments at the authorized service centre as soon as possible to avoid any complications.

  • Hong Leong Bank Berhad and Malaysia Motorcycle & Scooter Dealers Association (MMSDA) sign an MOU to cooperate in banking solutions.

  • The MMSDA plus 16 of their State Associattions and 6,000 members are set to benefit.

  • HLB will provide a tailor-made financial programme to the dealers and members.

Hong Leong Bank Berhad (HLB) and Malaysia Motorcycle & Scooter Dealers Association (MMSDA) today officially inked a partnership to provide a comprehensive suite of banking solutions to bolster the motorcycle and scooter industry and overall small and medium enterprise (SME) growth in the country.

From the partnership, MMSDA, as well as, 16 State Associations under MMSDA and over 6,000 of their members stand to benefit from the holistic financial products and solutions specifically designed to meet their business and individual banking requirements.

This includes a tailor-made financial programme, Motorcycle Dealers Programme (MDP) offering clean working capital financing with a limit up to RM5 million and eligibility for Auto Loan Packages, Cash Management, Payments and Merchants Services, Foreign Exchange Service and Digital Business Solutions.

According to Domenic Fuda, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HLB, “The reality is while 98.5% of business establishments in Malaysia are SMEs, they cut across all sizes and sectors. At HLB, we believe financial products and services must be built around the needs of specific customer segments. We simply cannot provide a one-size fits all solution to SMEs as they operate in different industries and market segments and serve their customers differently and face different challenges and needs for business growth.”

“MDP which provides financing of up to RM5 milion on a clean basis underwritten by the Bank is a testament to our commitment in delivering products and services that are tailored specifically to the needs of the motorcycle and scooter dealers. The portfolio has experienced three-fold growth in the past 18 months, thanks to our engagement with MMSDA and its’ members, and us listening to their needs and delivering financial solutions that meet their requirements for business growth.  We hope with the Bank’s dynamic products and services, more dealers and retailers will be able to enjoy benefits that such financial solutions deliver,” added Fuda.

Rapid expansion of e-commerce, ride-hailing and delivery services have and will continue to increase the demand for motorcycles as primary vehicles for private and commercial mobility. According to the Malaysian Association of Motorcycles Manufacturers, market dynamics have largely been positive since 2016 and the motorcycle and scooter industry is expected to witness continuous growth over the next 5 years with a projected 25% increase over the period.

“Working capital is always a concern for the SME and as a Bank with strong entrepreneurial roots, we understand the need for supportive financial arrangements to support entrepreneurs’ in their quest of business growth opportunities. Together with our existing flagship SME banking products including SMElite, digital banking solutions as well as Priority Banking, merchant facilities and payment products, we strive to provide the ultimate banking experience and other support with an aim to be the preferred banker of choice for Malaysian SMEs. Today’s partnership with MMSDA will be one of the many strategic partnerships that we will embark on,” said Terrence Teoh, Head of HLB SME Banking.

Teoh also shared that HLB was named Best SME Bank in Malaysia for 2019 by The Asian Banker, and that the Bank takes pride in having a strong pulse on the ground and having insights on what SMEs require to grow their business.

President of MMSDA, Mr. Wee Hong noted, “On behalf of the association, I am very excited to work with HLB who has identified our challenges and tailored their SME Banking services to the specific needs of the motorcycle and scooter industry. As automation and digitisation are rapidly changing the business landscape, this special partnership will empower dealers and retailers to further develop their business and remain competitive in the industry.”

The partnership covers the following benefits to the various stakeholders:

For MMSDA and the 16 Associations under MMSDA:

Current and Saving Accounts (CASA) & Fixed Deposits

For SME – Motorcycle and Scooter Dealers and Retailers:
SME Loans (MDP, SMElite, Business Auto Loan)
Cash Management
Payments and Merchants Services
Business and Key Man Insurance
Digital Business Solutions via HL ConnectFirst Lite:
• Biztory, an e-accounting and e-invoicing software solution,
• Kakitangan, an e-human resource and e-payroll platform,
• SimpleTax, an online Sales and Services Tax and Income Tax advisory tool
WeChat Official Account
Foreign Exchange

Personal Financial Needs for Members:
Personal Property Loan/Financing
Current and Saving Accounts (CASA)
Fixed Deposits
Credit Card
Forex

For more information, please visit: www.hlb.com.my/sme

  • Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) launched their 20th Yamaha Balik Kampung Road Safety Campaign.

  • The event was held earlier today at the Sg Besi Toll Plaza (Southbound).

  • In conjunction with the launch, all Yamaha branches will be providing complimentary 15-point safety checks from today until 11 June 2018.

In the name of road safety and corporate social responsibility, the good folks from Hong Leong Yamaha Motor (HLYM) organised their 20th Yamaha Balik Kampung Road Safety Campaign. The event was held at the Sungai Besi Toll Plaza (Southbound). The event was officiated by Yang Berhormat Loke Siew Fook, Transport Minister of Malaysia. (more…)

  • TOC Automotive College (TOC) has always been Malaysia’s premier automotive college.

  • TOC has just launched their Superbike Technician Course.

  • Registration for the course is open and will begin in July 2018.

  • Also unveiled was TOC’s bike that will be entered into the Malaysian Superbike (MSBK).

If you own a vehicle long enough, you may encounter the difficulty in finding a mechanic or technician you could truly trust, based on the accuracy in dealing with your vehicle’s problems in a correct and prompt manner.

Indeed, we wrote an article about “nightmare mechanics” not too long ago (please click here for the article).

Bad Mechanics: Horror Stories for Your Bike

Truth is, this quagmire doesn’t only exist for us bikers but for workshop operators and manufacturers, as well.

It is that vacuum that TOC and the Malaysian Motorcycle and Scooter Dealers Association (MMSDA) want to see filled, by signing a partnership. Through this partnership, students who had undergone TOC’s Superbike Technician Course will find almost instant employment among the MMSDA’s 5,000-member workshops. Nothing is worse than not being able to find a job after spending thousands of Ringgit for education.

The signing of this partnership also connects readily with the Bina Bakat (Building Talents) program. TOC understands that there exist individuals who are passionate about automotive technology but are unfortunately unable to bear the costs of education. Hence, successful applicants will undergo training with up to 100% loan until they begin their journey in the workplace.

Adelaine L.K. Foo, CEO and founder of TOC said in her speech, “Alongside the growth of the four-wheel market, there should be fair competency through improved skillsets given to the motorcycle scene, which also contributes to a large part of the automotive industry.”

“One of the common challenges I have come across which resonates well with me as a parent, is the financial struggle for single parents putting their children through higher education,” she continued. “Through this collaboration, one of our main objectives is to help ease the financial burden and raise the quality of higher education at the same time.”

Chairman of MMSDA, Wee Hong says, “The support of the Bina Bakat Program has increased the opportunity for our industry to have a greater access to quality skilled talents, something which had been lacking before.”

He further added, “MMSDA and TOC share a collective passion and dedication to delivery excellence towards the motorcycle industry. Through this partnership, not only will we see updated and improved facilities for conducive learning but also the increased employment of qualified and skilled technicians with our members and partners.”

The Superbike Technician Course runs for 18 months with 3 levels of academic and career development opportunities. The students will be exposed to real-world experience during industrial training with TOC’s partners during the course.

Adelaine stressed the importance of sending the students out for industrial training, “We can’t have for example a student who graduate wtih a degree in all expects of automotive engineering or maintenance but has never lifted a single spanner.”

This augurs well for motorcycle owners throughout Malaysia as we will have well-trained and experienced mechanics handling our pride and joy.

At the same time, TOC also unveiled the TOC Malaysian Superbike Championship (MSBK) race bike. The team was set up with the assistance of Most Fun Gym’s (MFG) chief instructor and Malaysian GP legend, Oh Kah Beng.

TOC already has a School of Motorsport division and will now see the inclusion of motorcycle racing.  “We want our students to experience the immediacy of racing. Fixing stuff under the tutelage of their lecturers is one thing but being pushed by a third-party race team manager is quite another,” said Sebastian K.L. Foo, who is in charge of operations at TOC.

The technicians for the motorcycle race team will also undergo a riding course with MFG. Oh Kah Beng said, “The technicians should feel what a bike does, besides how the components perform in order to easily relate to what the riders tell them. That way, they could fix handling characteristics and problems much easier and faster during a race.” (Please click here to see how we also trained at MFG.)

We were also given a tour of TOC’s facilities afterwards. It was apparent that TOC has the latest machinery, testers and tools utilized in the industry. The Resource Centre (library) was similarly well-stocked. The students are also trained to maintain a clean working environment. A single drop of oil on the workshop floor invites a stiff reprimand. It is also mandatory for students to maintain good personal hygiene and appearance.

“The students may be taken aback to our strict policies such as workplace cleanliness, attendance and passing marks at first, but many have come back to thank us for preparing them, after they’ve gone out to the workplace,” said Adelaine who guided us through the tour.

We also came across groups of students dressed in shirts and neckties. “They’re undergoing the Service Advisor training module. They take turns to play the role of angry customers and techniques to address customer issues correctly.”

“As for the Superbike Technician Course, we’ve purchased eight new motorcycles for the students to work on. They weren’t sponsor,” stressed Sebastian further.

Application for the first batch of the Superbike Technician Course is open for its first intake in July 2018. Please visit www.toc.edu.my or www.facebook.com/TOC.edu/ for more information.

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