A Malaysian earning RM2,000 a month has sparked an online debate after asking whether he could secure a loan for a Proton e.MAS 5 Premium.
In an anonymous post shared in the Proton e.MAS 5 Community Malaysia Facebook group, the man said he had no existing financial commitments and had never applied for a loan before. He asked whether his income would be enough to qualify for the electric vehicle.
The Proton e.MAS 5 is currently available in two variants in Malaysia. According to Proton e.MAS’ official website, the Prime is priced at a special launch price of RM56,800, while the Premium costs RM69,800, both on the road and excluding insurance.
While some netizens said he could try applying for financing, many urged him to consider whether he could comfortably afford the car rather than focusing solely on whether a bank would approve the loan.
One commenter recalled earning RM2,000 in the past and relying on buses and the LRT because even basic living expenses were challenging. The person said they only bought an e.MAS 5 after their income eventually reached RM10,000 a month.
Others suggested considering a cheaper option such as a Perodua Axia, while some warned that securing a loan does not necessarily mean the monthly commitment is financially manageable.
One netizen said a salesperson might be able to assist with the loan application, but advised against taking on a repayment burden that could become difficult to handle later.
Another urged the man to think beyond the excitement of owning a brand-new car, warning that the initial happiness could fade within six to 12 months once the repayments begin to feel like a financial burden.
Some also shared concerns about how struggling with a car loan could eventually lead to reliance on credit cards or personal loans to cover other expenses. They suggested saving for a second-hand car or making a larger down payment on a cheaper vehicle.
Other commenters took a more practical approach, advising him to calculate the full cost of owning an EV, including charging, maintenance and daily running expenses.
They also suggested speaking to existing e.MAS 5 owners about their actual maintenance costs, checking the availability and rates of AC and DC chargers, and estimating monthly charging expenses based on his expected driving habits.
“Add everything up first. Then you can see whether you can truly afford to own the car. Only after that should you think about whether the loan will be approved,” one commenter said.
Ultimately, while some encouraged him to give the application a try, most of the discussion centred on a bigger question: not whether he could get the loan, but whether he could comfortably afford the car on a RM2,000 monthly income.
