"I think it will increase but not too much. It will increase to below 10 percent," Executive Marketing Director of PT Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian Motor, Rizwan Alamsjah said.
The other factor that would have direct impact on the automotive growth included the possibility of fuel oil price increase, the minimum 30 percent down payment in the purchase of a vehicle and the imposition progressive taxes.
"Increase in the transfer of motor vehicle ownership titles by 15 percent and the imposition of vehicle progressive taxes will affect automotive market," Rizwan said.
He said Mitsubishi sales in Indonesia would follow the increase of the automotive market in the country, namely below 10 percent.
In the meantime, the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries (Gaikindo) has expressed optimism that car sales in 2013 will increase by 10 percent, compared with this year`s figures, because of positive macroeconomic trends.
"Due to the positive macroeconomic trends in the country, car sales have already reached one million units this year," Gaikindo spokesman Yongkie D. Sugiarto stated here on Monday.
"As long as the public`s purchasing power increases, car sales will remain high next year. So far, there is no sign of a slowdown in the demand for four-wheeled motor vehicles," he noted.
According to Sugiarto, the Indonesian automotive market has benefited from the nation`s economic growth, rupiah exchange rate stability, security and political stability, interest rates and liquidity.
"The economic growth rate of over 6 percent has been a decisive factor in the development of automotive industry because it is related to people`s purchasing power," he explained.
As regards interest rates and liquidity, 70 percent of Indonesia`s consumers buy cars through a line of credit, Sugiarto continued.
"If things remain the way they are right now, the automotive market in 2013 will grow by 10 percent. But what we are afraid of is the new syariah rule, which mandates that the minimum down-payment requirement for cars be raised to 30 percent of the sales price. The regulation will come into effect from April 2013," he continued.
(A014/F001)
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
