UMW Toyota welcomes return of normal business activities

SHAH ALAM 10 Sept - With the resumption of business activities in the auto sector as well as other industries, UMW Toyota Motor is looking forward to the return to normalcy.

The closure of retail outlets nationwide had an impact on the business, particularly in terms of new vehicle bookings and sales during the months of June, July and part of August. This will have an effect on the year’s sales volume for Toyota and Lexus vehicles and the 2021 target is being reviewed.

President of UMW Toyota Motor, Ravindran. K. said, it has certainly been challenging, but the company understand the necessity of the actions taken by the Government to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

''On our part, we have made sure that our workforce has been vaccinated so that we can safely resume and continue our activities at our facilities around the country.

''The total sales volume of new Toyota and Lexus vehicles in the month of August was 2,524 units, 56% lower than for the same month in 2020.

''However, when comparing the first 8 months of 2021 with the same period in 2020, the total sale volume of Toyota and Lexus vehicles was 38,085 units in 2021 and 31,734 units in 2020.

''This was due to the continued strong sales momentum that started last year, especially with the exemption of SST (Sales & Service Tax),'' he said in a statement here, today.

“We will be having sales promotions in the coming months so if you are shopping for a new vehicle, look out for them as you will get great deals and of course, save on sales tax until the end of the year,” he said.

“Our loyal customers are also not forgotten and we will soon announce a new program that will reward them for their loyalty to the brand over more than five decades,” he said.

For the month of September, customers can enjoy the lowest instalment for the Toyota Yaris from RM493 a month with EZ Beli, while those who buy a Toyota RAV4 can get a cash rebate of up to RM10,000. All models have exemption of sales tax until the end of 2021, and customers can save up to RM17,391 for the popular Toyota Alphard MPV with this exemption.

Ravindran gave assurance that all sales and service outlets will follow the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) specified by the Health Ministry. Customers and visitors will be required to have temperature scans and register their visit using the MySejahtera app, as well as use hand sanitizers and facemasks at all times. The employees at all facilities will likewise follow SOPs for protection and safety.

Meanwhile, production activities have resumed at the two assembly plants in Selangor. While there is a small backlog of orders to meet due to the shutdown, UMW Toyota Motor expects to be able to deliver new vehicles to customers within a reasonable time-frame.

Deputy Chairman of UMW Toyota Motor, Akio Takeyama said, the company thank the loyal customers for their patience, support and understanding.

''It is a challenging time for everyone and we have been doing our best to assist customers by maintaining communication channels for them to use if they have a problem with their Toyota or Lexus vehicle. Now that activities can resume, we hope they will ensure that their vehicles continue to have maintenance service carried out,” he said. - DagangNews.com