Sarawak and Sabah contributed 7,300 units or six per cent to the total vehicle sales of Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) in the first quarter of 2017.

Perodua Sales Sdn Bhd Managing Director Datuk Dr Zahari Husin said the figure is part of the overall total of 50,300 vehicle units sold by the company in the said quarter.

He said Perodua believes the market in Sabah and Sarawak, particularly the latter, has a high potential from the aspect of the economy, seeing how committed the government is in developing the state.

"To date, the sales contribution of Sabah and Sarawak to Perodua is six per cent or 7,300 units in the first quarter of the year.

"Perodua is working to improve the sales for both states, moreso, when the Pan Borneo Highway is completed in 2023. This can be achieved by improving or increasing the Perodua network in the two states," he added.

He said this in his speech at the opening of the MD World Sdn Bhd showroom here today.

The event was officiated by Sarawak Chief minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

Zahari told reporters later that the sales of 50,300 units is a 5.6 per cent improvement over the about 47,000 units sold in the same period of last year.

Perodua has at present 199 showrooms throughout the country with 13 in Sarawak.

--BERNAMA