Saturday, June 10, 2017

Perodua Eco-Challenge 2017 moves into Phase Two - 10 Higher Learning Institutes Being Developing Parts & Accessories to Compete in Final Round in November


The Perodua Eco Challenge 2017 (PEC 2017) is one of Perodua’s main Corporate Responsibility programmes and it has moved into the second phase. This time around,  participants from 10 selected institutions of higher learning to compete in the Final round of PEC 2017 in November this year. This second phase is where the participants will begin to develop parts and accessories that may be used in future Perodua models.


The 10 selected institutions of higher learning are Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), University Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO), Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

In this phase, the students will get into a real part and accessories processing and exercise assisted by mentors from planning, build the prototype, testing, upgrading until the final design. Through this process, they can try to adapt and adopt what they have learned in during lectures. 

“All the processes they go through in this competition will help them to be more confident and more prepared to enter a real working environment in the future.” Perodua President & Chief Executive Officer, Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh said.

The PEC programme was launched in 2009 and it offers students and faculty members from local institutions of higher learning an avenue to show their creativity in terms of design, engineering and business prowess against their peers from different institutions. The participants get to actually experience what happens during the actual process of manufacturing rather than just from a classroom or lecture hall environment.

The first PEC, which took place between 2009 and 2013 was focused on redesigning of existing Perodua models, then later, to build up a new car and market them. Typically, the theme of the PEC during this time was more distance-race oriented.

However, this year’s challenge is no longer about redesigning or re-engineering a current model. It is more focused as the participating institutions of higher learning will focus more on research and development (R&D) and they will work closely with Perodua’s R&D team as well as Perodua’s vendors to produce working prototype parts and accessories. This is actually a more feasible and achievable goal. Developing a whole car requires many parties aside from the manufacturer itself. There are many vendors that have to come together to design and incorporate all the systems within a car - electrics, drivetrain, powertrain, suspension components, interior, etc. So with the theme of process development incorporated in the challenge, these institutions can actually gain more. 

From what was gathered, the parts and accessories that the institutions need to come up with must be usable items that have use in the Malaysian and also Asian context. It could be simple innovations like the handbag hook you see in the latest Perodua cars or the 'teh tarik' hook you now see in cars made locally. These are local innovations that Perodua want to be seen incorporated into their cars with a target of at least one fully usable part coming from PEC 2017. Once the prototype is completed, the component will be reviewed by a team of judges in November 2017. Marks will be given on a stage-to- stage basis, where the institutions will be evaluated based on their progress and team participation. The winner will be announced to win a total prize worth RM85,000.

“We hope this new concept in Perodua Eco Challenge will bring a positive value to the higher learning institutions in producing high quality students who can contribute to the automotive industry. We are looking forward to see the outcome from the participants in the Final Round which will take place at the end of this year,” Datuk (Dr) Aminar said.

“Students who excel in the Perodua Eco Challenge will also provide a talent pool for Perodua as well as our vendors,” Datuk (Dr) Aminar added. 

It is all about the 'People First' part in Perodua's slogan. I do like the fact that Perodua is one of the companies that actually help develop human capital here in Malaysia. These sort of education programme actually help create another generation of skilled and thinking people. We need more thinkers rather than just followers. Programmes like these help a whole lot.

PEC 2017 Sketch Competition Winners
President & CEO of Perodua, YBhg Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh (second from left) with the winners of PEC 2017 Sketch Competition. Also in the picture are Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director, YBhg Dato' Dr. Zahari Husin (left) and Perodua Auto Corporation Sdn Bhd, YBhg Dato' Zainal Abidin Ahmad (right).
Champion        : Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP)
1st Runner Up  : Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM)
2nd Runner Up : Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)

Handover donation during Iftar Ramadan Perodua 2017 which happened just after the PEC2017 Halfway Mark Presentation
President & CEO of Perodua, YBhg Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh (second from left) handover donation to representative from Maahad Tahfiz Darul Quran and Rumah Kasih Ar-Rahmaniah during Iftar Ramadan Perodua 2017 yesterday. Also in the picture are Mr JH Rozman Jaafar, Executive Director of Perodua Global Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (left) and YBhg Dato' Dr. Zahari Husin (right), Managing Director of Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd.  

President & CEO of Perodua, YBhg Datuk (Dr) Aminar Rashid Salleh (second from left) give away 'Duit Raya' to the children from Maahad Tahfiz Darul Quran during Iftar Ramadhan Perodua 2017 yesterday.

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