NAZA ENTERS MOTORCYCLE MARKETS OF IRAN AND BRUNEI

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), April 28 (Bernama) -- Naza Bikes Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary
of Malaysian Naza group of companies, is set to tap the motorycle markets of
Iran and Brunei with shipments of completely knocked down (CKD) parts.

The company is exporting its first batch of 500 units of the Flash
motorcycle model to the Iranian market and 100 units of the Flash and GTR 150
models to Brunei.

"The motorcycle market in Iran has been growing rapidly with vehicle
registrations reaching 700,000 annually while the Brunei market offers huge
opportunities in the high-end segment," Naza group chief executive officer SM
Faisal SM Nasimuddin told reporters here Tuesday.

Two containers of the CKD parts to Iran and Brunei were flagged off by
Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Mukhriz Dr Mahathir.

Also present were Iran's ambassador Mahdi Khandaghabadi and Brunei's high
commissioner Awang Zaini Mahmud.

Naza said its motorcycles will be distributed by Dino Motor Co in Iran while
the distributor in Brunei is Yakis Naza Sdn Bhd.

SM Faisal said the company planned to export 3,000 units of the Flash
motorcycle to various countries this year as well as 5,000 units of the other
models, including the GTR 150, Blade 250/250R and those in the bigger cubic
centimetre (cc) range.

"We are in negotiations to export our bikes to another country in the Middle
East as well as a other countries in Asean such as Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and
Indonesia," he said.

According to SM Faisal, the company aims to have its own motorcycle engine
by 2014 and to produce up to 60 percent local content in an effort to create a
Malaysian motorcycle.

"For now we are targeting to increase our local content in the bikes from 30
percent currently to 45 percent within two years," he said.

He added that Naza Bikes was currently contributing below five percent to
the group's revenue.

Earlier, Mukhriz said Iran with its huge population and strong domestic
demand was an obvious new market that local companies should tap into.

Last year, Iran was Malaysia's 29th largest trading partner, with bilateral
trade rising to US$1.546 billion (US$1.00=RM3.61) in 2008 from US$135.3 million
in 1999, he said.
-- BERNAMA