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Some analysts doubt that Proton, launched by Mahathir in 1985, can rise to the challenge of open competition. "Blue-sky thinkers who think in terms of Proton emerging as a stand-alone regional brand are deluding themselves, as there is simply no chance of Proton competing head-on and regionally with the likes of Toyota and Honda in the mass-market saloon business," says Patrick Russell of Kim Eng Securities in Kuala Lumpur. He notes that there is no country with a population of less than 50 million that has its own independent car maker.
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