Someone so disgusting

The following scene took place on a BA flight between Johannesburg and London...A White woman, about 50 years old, was seated next to a Black man.

Obviously disturbed by this, she called the air Hostess."Madam, what is the matter," the Hostess asked."You obviously do not see it then?" she responded. "You placed me next to a Black man. I do not agree to sit next to someone from such a repugnant group. Give me an alternative seat.""Be calm please," the Hostess replied. "Almost all the seats on this flight are taken. I will go to see if another seat is available."The Hostess went away and came back a few minutes later.

"Madam, just as I thought, there are no other available seats in Economy class. I spoke to the Captain and he informed me that there are also no seats in the Business class. All the same, we still have one seat in First class."Before the woman could reply, the Hostess continued: "It is unusual for our company to permit someone from Economy class to sit in First class. However, given the circumstances, the Captain feels that it would be scandalous to make someone sit next to someone so disgusting."She turned to the Black man and said, "Therefore, Sir, if you would like to, please collect your hand luggage, a seat awaits you in First class."

At that moment, the other passengers who were shocked by what they had just witnessed, stood up and applauded.

New Model Launching - SX4 Sedan

Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd launched its first sedan model on the 24 July 2008 at the Orange Concourse of the Sunway Pyramid.

The launching was a done in a very comfortable scale with the some important guests and all respective dealers being invited. Media conference was being carrried out at an earlier session to update them which specification of this new model.


The launching was reported by The Star :

Suzuki targets 500 new model sales.



SUBANG JAYA: Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd is aiming to sell 500 units of its latest Suzuki SX4 sedan model this year.

Managing director Ibrahim Maidin said the SX4 sedan was equipped with features that made it stand out from its competitors.

“With competitive pricing in a value-for-money packaging, we are confident of selling 100 to 150 units of the SX4 sedan monthly,” he said at the launch of the vehicle on Thursday night.

Ibrahim Maidin (seated) and Suzuki Malaysia executive

advisor of sales & marketing Kenjiro Matsumoto at the launch.

The stylish model comes with a 1.6-litre advanced variable valve timing engine and a four-speed automatic transmission.

The standard version is priced at RM88,888 on the road without insurance, while the Premier variant costs RM5,000 more but gets window tinting, trunk spoiler, door visors and leather seats.

Ibrahim said the company planned to increase its present 26 sales and services outlets to 33 by March next year to provide better service and enhance customer satisfaction.

Fully imported from Japan, the SX4 sedan also comes with anti-lock braking system, dual front airbags and a large boot.

The motoring section of The Star has also presented a little more description on the vehicle :

After being well accepted in countries like India and Hungary, SMA is confident the SX 4 sedan will continue on that success here by providing a stylish and very competitive alternative in the compact sedan market.

The SX4 is not a newcomer in this country - it was launched last year in its hatchback crossover form.

The fully-imported SX4 is equipped with a M16A VVT DOHC 16-valve engine, the same powerplant also fitted in its sibling, the SX4 crossover. Mated with a four-speed automatic gearbox, the engine puts out 102bhp at 5,600rpm and maximum torque of 140Nm at 4,000 rpm.

The car is visually appealing on the whole, especially in its front profile. The rear end, with a thick and imposing bumper assembly, does bear some resemblance to the likes of the Proton Saga and the Nissan Latio, but bulk aside, the boot offers a healthy 515l of cargo space.

The SX4 offers an impressive 190mm ground clearance, which stands it in good stead in terms of light wading ability as well as clearance over speed bumps. The height also provides excellent front visibility, especially for petite drivers.

To further illustrate the feministic traits of the SX4, the steering wheel offers the lightest load when turning the wheel in a stationary position. This means that parking the SX4 will be a walk in the park; it feels light and responsive, and is claimed to be the lightest among its competitors.

Mothers will find the SX4 very useful if they have toddlers to bring around. The rear passenger seats are fitted with anchorage points, the first in its segment, for mounting child seats.

There was a chance to get to grips with the car out on the road during a recent media test drive from KL to Penang, and while the general outlook and feel is that of a vehicle catered for women, the SX4 sedan is certainly no slump on highways, considering the size and capacity of the car. There was no issue in ferrying four full-grown men around at speed, and in very good comfort, along the way.

In comparison with its hatchback sibling, the sedan’s engine felt like it packed more muscle on this one. Storming through the North-South Highway at an average speed of 160kmh, and sometimes up to 180kmh, the sedan was ever willing to be pushed harder. For a 1.6l engine, with a full load of four and at such speeds, the SX4 provided quite a peaceful ride.

Interior space for this compact sedan is as its brief suggests - compact, but there was sufficient head and legroom thanks to its high-roof design. Front seats provided body-hugging support, but none for the lower part of the body; generally, I thought the seats could have been firmer.

The only thing that baffled all of us in the car was the feedback coming off the steering wheel – it felt wobbly at speeds after the 110kmh mark. Certainly, not the kind of feel expected with an electric-controlled power steering (EPS) but then, it was only at higher speeds that this quirky sensation could be felt.

SMA targets a humble sales volume of between 100-150 units per month for the vehicle. The sedan is available in five colour choices – Nocturne Blue Pearl, Black Pearl, Silky Silver, Pearl White and Azure Grey.
Two variants are available - the standard version is priced at RM88,888 (on the road, without insurance), and if you would like a sportier version, which includes items such as 17-inch wheels, leather seats, door visors and full body kit, you’ll have to fork out an additional RM5,000.

The New Company Structure

“The proposed joint venture displays Suzuki’s strong commitment to strengthen its relationship with DRB-Hicom in the marketing, distribution and assembly of Suzuki vehicles in Malaysia and to widen its product range and models in Malaysia,” said DRB-Hicom in a statement.

On 12th February 2008, the Holding Company, DRB-HICOM Berhad signed a Joint Venture and Share Subscription Agreement with the principal company, Suzuki Motor Corporation and a a japanese trading house, Itochu Corporation, Japan. A total of 21,000,000 units new equity shares were issued on 26th March 2008 bringing the paid-up share capital of the company to RM35,000,000-00.

Suzuki Motor Corporation took up 40% of the 21,000,000 new equity shares at a value of RM14,000,000 , and another 20% stake will be taken up by Japanese trading form Itochu Corporation, which paid RM 7 million. The original 14,000,000 remain 40% stake held by DRB-Hicom.

This new equity investment changes the company status from a wholly owned subsidiary of DRB-Hicom Berhad to a jointly controlled entity. This change will definitely bring positive movement to the Suzuki brand in Malaysia. Manufacturer support will be enhanced in SMA through introduction of more vehicle/model line up and local assembly of Suzuki vehicles will benefit from technology transfer into the local assembly plant.

With the new involvement from Suzuki Motor Corporation and Itochu Coporation, the company is on its way towards creating an exciting new image with improvement in both product and service quality.

Team Building : Feb 29 to Mar 2, 2008

With a new Managing Director cum CEO appointed for Suzuki Malaysia, there was lot of changes to be expected. The one thing he did was to conduct a Team Building for the staff and it was expected to have a 100% attendance. No one was exempted i.e. even if a staff has classes during the weekend, he still need to come for a day or two before going off. I even heard one of them skipping his exam, maybe partly because he wasn't fully prepared for it too.

From left to right :

Alternate Director, Managing Director & Deputy Managing Director.

Another Alternate Director socialising with our staff

Writing out our grievances on the new management but..
..these few themselves are new staff..Hehehe

Phew... a welcome break after some hard labour at field event

Untangling... most of us couldn't get it done except one group

Ladies of the team

Last but not least, our group photo but not all are present.

The New CEO cum Managing Director

Ibrahim Maidin is the new Chief Executive Officer at Suzuki Malaysia Automobile Sdn Bhd (SMA), succeeding Bastamam Hamzah who is now the General Manager for Special Projects in the Automotive Division of DRB-HICOM Berhad. Prior to his new position, Encik Ibrahim, 51, was the Senior General Manager of the After-Sales Division in Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd.

Encik Ibrahim brings 27 years of experience to his new role in SMA. After graduating from University of Aston in UK with an Honors Degree in Chemical Engineering, he started his career with Perusahaan Sadur Timah (M) Sdn Bhd as an engineer. In 1996, he entered the automotive industry when he joined Perodua Manufacturing Sdn Bhd. His first assignment in the company was as the GM of Quality Assurance. In 1998, he became the GM of Production responsible for the production of high-quality cars at the required volume utilizing available resources efficiently.

In 2000, he moved to Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd as Senior General Manager of the After-Sales Division. During his tenure in Perodua, he contributed successfully to the development of Perodua's quality assurance system company wide, particularly in the area of ISO 9000:2000 certification in which he had the role of Quality Management Representative of the company. He also played an important role behind the efficient running of Perodua's strong service network that is known for its dedication to customer satisfaction. Encik Ibrahim's valuable experience in enhancing quality and standards is expected contribute to the growth of the Suzuki brand in Malaysia and lead SMA to face future challenges in the automotive industry, according to a statement issued by the company recently.

Another swift move

Story and photos by ANDY MERVIN GEORGE

On July 8, 2007; four days after our SWIFT CKD Launch, some review was made by a local newspaper, The Star on our SWIFT SPORT which was ondisplay during the launch...

The cars do a swift version of Battleship Row.

It’s fair to say that Suzuki’s little Swift has become something of a darling to many. Selling 1,800 fully imported examples of the Mk4 since its introduction in 2005 may not sound like much, but consider the very competitive market in the compact car category and this number becomes something to shout about.

In an effort to gain more ground, the Swift 1.5L is now being assembled locally in Suzuki Malaysia Automobile’s (SMA) facility based in Automotive Manufacturers’ Malaysia’s plant in Pekan, Pahang. The assembly plant covers 9,000sq m and features a RM20mil robotic welding line.
Although locally assembled, a considerable 90% of the Swift’s parts still come directly from Japan; the only part that is locally produced for now is the car battery. Suzuki Malaysia is undertaking the localisation process stage-by-stage; the wheels are next, and will be sourced from Enkei Malaysia.

A dashing yellow fella - the Swift Sport, all bright and bushy-tailed.

In terms of performance, the CKD (completely knocked down, ie, built locally) Suzuki Swift 1.5L VVT engine packs slightly more strength than the CBU (completely built up, ie, built overseas).
The handling of the car has also been improved with enhanced absorbers, said SMA’s chief executive officer, Bastamam Hamzah, during a plant visit for the media test-drive of the CKD Swift and the Swift Sport. Both were officially launched on Wednesday.

The CBU Swift Sport comes with a 1.6l twin-cam engine, offering 125bhp and 148Nm of torque, and is available in manual and automatic versions. The five-door Sport has some differences in external styling – a different rear spoiler, side skirting and two-tone front bumper with integrated fog lights. The rear bumper sports a pair of built-in reverse lights with two chromed exhaust tips.
The Sport also features two-tone fabric semi-bucket sport seats and rear disc brakes, as well as five-lug, multi-spoke 16-inch wheels.

An interesting feature is the keyless entry/start system; access is via push buttons located on the door handles and on the rear bonnet, and for the ignition, via a fixed knob.
The test drive started from the assembly plant and headed towards the Summerset Colonial Hotel in Kuala Rompin. I first had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a Swift Sport automatic.

Sport by the beach is always fun.

The Sport was certainly a lot of fun on the tranquil roads in Kuala Rompin. Soaking up the curves and turns was an awe-inspiring affair for me, a first-timer in a Swift. It feels remarkably responsive and peppy, even with three people – and luggage – as load, with a firm, stable ride going at speed on the trunk roads.

The engine of the car can be deemed a little noisy, but you can say that it also lends a sportier feel to the experience, which is, of course, well in line with the car’s brief.

The next day, we started the journey back to Kuala Lumpur, this time in a Swift CKD. To my amazement, the Swift 1.5L turned out to be no slouch compared to the Sport, at least when it comes to engine response – getting back to KL proved effortless and quick. Truly, a very drivable car, and loads of fun.

The seats are more comfortable for long distance driving, and on the whole the Swift has a more relaxed feel about it than the Sport. It’s quiet, too, relatively so at speed, and the engine is virtually noiseless when stationary. As a passenger (after switching places), I remember asking my co-drivers whether they had turned the engine off, which of course was not the case.

Spoiler, rear lamps, twin exhaust tips and reverse lights on the bumper provide visual cues to the Sport's identity from the rear. Oh, and badge too, of course. Suzuki Malaysia has priced the Swift 1.5L at RM69,888, and there’s a Premier version that comes with leather seats, sporty body kit and window film tint for RM75,888 (both on the road, without insurance).
As for the Swift Sport version, it will be available in August. Pricing is expected to be around RM99,000 for the manual and RM104,000 for the automatic, excluding insurance.

SUZUKI Swift......our pride......

The SUZUKI SWIFT, with its European design but Japanese engineering is well accepted in the local market and has came out as winner in the following :

Swift 1.5 A/T (CBU Model)
- Special Achievement Award “Most Fun” under COTY Japan 2005-2006
- Winner of Small Cars category under NST Mastercard for COTY Award 2005
- Winner of Small Sedan/Hatchback category under Autocar Asean Magazine for COTY 2005/2006.

Swift 1.5 A/T (CKD Model)
- Winner for Entry Level Car of the year 2007, organized by Cars Bikes Trucks and
endorsed by Malaysian Automotive Association.

Swift Sport 1.6 (CBU Model)
- Winner for Sport/Performance Car of the year 2007, organized by Cars Bikes Trucks
and endorsed by Malaysian Automotive Association.