TANJUNG MALIM: Proton has launched its Proton Meta Power 5-Star Programme at its electric vehicle (EV) Plant in Tanjung Malim.
Proton says this marks an important step in the company’s ongoing efforts to strengthen employee capability, enhance teamwork and embed a culture of continuous improvement across its
manufacturing operations.
Proton’s EV production plant is the pilot department for the 5-Star Team and Proton Meta Power (PMP) programme that provides a structured framework for team engagement, capability development, assessment and recognition as the company continues to strengthen its manufacturing competitiveness.
Under the theme of “Building a Stronger Proton Through People, Performance and Continuous Improvement”, PMP focuses on empowering employees at every level to take greater ownership of their work.
This includes encouraging them to solve problems collectively and contribute ideas that can improve daily operations.
“Advanced technology supports us, but our success ultimately depends on our people – their skills, care and commitment to doing every job well. Proton Meta Power builds on our existing foundation by developing our people and teams, strengthening problem-solving and recognising progress,” said Proton CEO Dr Li Chunrong.
Employees are encouraged to take ownership of their respective work areas by checking their own work, preventing defects from progressing to the next station, caring for their equipment and supporting colleagues in developing their skills.
They are also given an avenue to speak up when problems are identified and to challenge issues rather than accepting them as part of the existing process.
The implementation of PMP builds on the base set by the Proton Production Way (PPW), the company’s strategic approach towards a world class manufacturing system.
PPW focuses on transforming people, processes and resources to achieve improvements across five key objectives.
These are Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and Morale (SQCDM) that is supported by human capital development, lean management and performance measurement.
A key component is the 5-Star Team system, which enables teams to progressively build their capabilities against clearly defined standards, supported by regular assessment and recognition of progress.
“Results and people development must go together. We must achieve our targets while helping employees grow. Improvement also requires regular assessment to recognise progress, address weaknesses and continuously raising our standards. Most importantly, the assessment must be fair and transparent,” added Li.
PMP also supports the government’s talent development push especially in the areas of Technical and Vocational and Education Training (TVET).
By empowering and upskilling employees, PMP accelerates the development of a workforce trained in the manufacturing of high technology vehicles that will be the focus area for future models.
The implementation roadmap begins with the pilot programme at the EV plant, with the 5-Star Team pilot assessment targeted for completion by December 2026.
From 2027 onwards, the programme progressively expands across other plant operations in Tanjung Malim, with the objective of establishing 5-Star capability across these areas by October 2027.
