The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) today officially opened its new building at Ara Damansara (near the old Subang airport), Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Previously, the association had been occupying a floor of a building in Section 14, Petaling Jaya, for the past 14 years and before that, a small unit in the Taman U-Thant area of Kuala Lumpur.

Having its own building is certainly significant for the association which was formed in November 1960 as the Federation of Malaya Motor Traders Association (FMMTA). Of the ten companies which were members at the start, only two – Tan Chong & Sons Motor Co Ltd. And Cycle & Carriage – remain active in the auto industry today. The others were Ampang Motors, Asia Motors, Borneo Motors, Champion Motors, Anglo-American Corporation, Orchard Motors, Wearne Brothers and The East Asiatic Company.

When assembly plants were set up in response to the government’s wish to see greater localization of the auto industry and transfer of technology, the Malaysian Motor Vehicle Assemblers Association (MMVAA) was formed and the FMMTA became the Malaysian Motor Traders Association (MMTA). Both associations represented their respective industries in interactions with government departments.

Over the next three decades, the role of the MMTA would become more significant as the association represented the growing motor trade in many ways. The MMTA served as the point of contact between the motor companies and the government to clarify issues and resolve any difficulties encountered by its members. At the same time too, the MMVAA represented the assemblers interests, particularly in the area of local content requirements.

In the late 1990s, the government urged associations and agencies within the same industry to merge for more efficient interaction. This led to the merging of the MMTA and MMVAA and the formation of the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) on January 26 2000.

The MAA, which had the aim of developing and protecting members’ interests, had a very wide scope which ranged from import and assembly issues to marketing and distribution activities. As the MAA was a major industry group, it was accorded recognition by government agencies and was thus able to effectively make representations. Also equally important was the MAA’s role in informing the public on the issues relating to the industry, its position and objectives, as well as compiling data.

The MAA has also been recognised internationally as a representative of the Malaysian motor industry and is actively involved in many regional and international auto industry activities. It has close links with leading organisations in ASEAN and Japan and has had a good presence in numerous international forums.

From being a small group of ten companies, the MAA today has over 40 members which represent virtually all the companies holding franchises for various brands as well as plants involved in assembling a large variety of vehicles. It continues to play a major role in the development of the industry, serving as a vital link between the government and those involved in the industry and trade.

“The MAA and the automotive industry have come a long way over the past decades but given the changing global and local automotive scene, the coming years are likely to prove even more critical,” Datuk Aishah Ahmad, the MAA’s president since 1989, said in her address to guests at the opening ceremony this morning.

“With this new office, we will be able to strengthen our secretariat and staff to provide more services covering a wider scope to our members so as to meet the new challenges that face the Malaysian automotive industry,” she added.