Perodua has long been the undisputed leader of Malaysia’s automotive industry, but when the Red Devils (Manchester United) of the Premier League came knocking for a sponsorship deal, it truly underscored the influence our homegrown automaker wields on the global stage.
Yes, you read that right—Manchester United reached out to Perodua for sponsorship! This revelation came straight from Perodua chairman Tan Sri Asmat Kamaludin during the launch of the National Amateur Golf Series (PNAGS) at Saujana Golf and Country Club last Thursday.
While fielding a question about Perodua’s sponsorship involvement in Malaysia’s M-League and local clubs, Asmat casually dropped the bombshell:
“There have been requests, and there’s one team… I don’t know if I should say this, but I received a letter from Manchester United asking if we would put our logo on one of their shirts and sponsor them,” he disclosed.
Let’s take a moment to process that. Manchester United—one of the biggest clubs in football history, both in business and achievements—sought out Perodua. This is the Rolls-Royce of football clubs, a global sporting empire, and they saw something in Malaysia’s favorite automaker that made them reach out. That speaks volumes about Perodua’s growing reputation in the industry.
We’ve all beamed with pride seeing Petronas emblazoned on Mercedes-Benz’s F1 cars, a partnership that has showcased Malaysia on the world stage for years. Now, imagine Perodua’s logo proudly displayed on the iconic Manchester United jersey for millions—if not billions—of football fans across the globe to see. That would be a historic, goosebump-inducing moment for Malaysia.
But before we get too carried away, there’s a catch.
Although the approach has been confirmed but it looks like a deal is unlikely. Perodua remains open to sponsorships but prefers to focus on initiatives within Malaysia.
“If people ask for support, we will consider, especially for Malaysian sports. But we have to be selective,” he said
On the other he also explained that before choosing to sponsor a team, there is much consideration need to be done.
“For example, in the M-League, I’m from Johor. If I support Johor Darul Ta’zim, I might lose support from customers in Selangor or Kelantan. So, we have to be very careful about who we support and sponsor,” he added.
He also highlighted that Perodua leans toward supporting individual sports such as golf and tennis, which focus on personal growth and development.
So, while the dream of seeing Perodua ride alongside Manchester United may remain just that—a dream—it’s still a testament to how far Malaysia’s automotive giant has come. Who knows? Maybe one day, we’ll see a Malaysian brand taking center stage in the footballing world. Until then, we’ll keep revving the engines and dreaming big!
Source: NST
Other posts by Keran
