Bad News Due To Malaysia Lockdown: Toyota And Honda Stop Operation, Don't Know When Production Will Return

JAKARTA - Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co have been affected by the lockdown policy by the Malaysian government. The leading car manufacturer from Japan has temporarily suspended its factory activities in the neighboring country.

Quoting Reuters, Wednesday, June 3, Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin last Friday announced a total lockdown from June 1 to 14 to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.

This strict policy also affects the production chain of vehicles from Toyota and Honda in Malaysia which are of considerable value. Toyota was able to produce up to 51,000 vehicles last year.

Toyota Malaysia has finally suspended sales and production from Tuesday 1 June. A Toyota Malaysia spokesman contacted by Reuters said it had not yet determined when production would resume.

Toyota's subsidiary, Daihatsu Motor, will also stop the production of its compact cars from June 1 to 14. Throughout 2020, Daihatsu Motor managed to produce around 220,000 units of vehicles in Malaysia.

Rival company Honda said it would also close two of its factories as long as Malaysia's national lockdown rules apply.

The two temporarily closed Honda factories are each capable of producing up to 100,000 cars and 300,000 motorcycles each year. The two factories will reportedly resume operations on June 15.