Proton 10,000 sMILEs Expedition kicks off: Cross-border drive across Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei

KUALA LUMPUR: Alongside Peninsular Malaysia, Proton has maintained a strong presence in East Malaysia for more than four decades, with models like the Saga, X50 and X70 quite popular among customers in Sabah and Sarawak. To further strengthen its connection with the region. Proton has launched “10,000 sMILEs Expedition.”

What is the Proton 10,000 sMILEs Expedition? Let’s dive in to know.

• Proton 10,000 sMILEs Expedition is a cross-border journey across Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei, reflecting the brand’s ongoing commitment to the customers of East Malaysia.
• Held in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026 and the Kaamatan festive celebration, this expedition aims to celebrate East Malaysian identity, culture and the enduring relationship between the national automaker and its customer base across Borneo island. 
• It carries the localised campaign expressions “Senyum Dulu Bah” and “Senyum Sikit, Mok Nangga.”
• During the journey, Proton cars will travel through major cities, rural towns, coastal highways and highland routes across Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.
• The expedition will see a series of cultural engagements, customer interactions, dealership activities and community-driven experiences throughout five travel rounds across East Malaysia and Brunei. 

Notably, Proton 10,000 sMILEs Expedition will bring together customers, dealer partners, media representatives, content creators and local communities.

Proton 10,000 sMILEs Expedition: Round 1

The first round of the expedition begins in Kota Kinabalu in conjunction with the Kaamatan festive celebrations. Key highlights are as follows - 

• The official flag-off ceremony was held at the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA).
• It was attended by government representatives, tourism stakeholders, media partners, dealership representatives, content creators and members of the public. 
• During the event, Kaamatan-themed dealership engagements, cultural experiences, community interactions and local destination visits were organised around Kota Kinabalu and Kundasang.
• Throughout the expedition, content creators and media representatives will carry out destination-based challenges, cultural activities and community missions to reflect the spirit, diversity and traditions of East Malaysia.
• The members of the public can participate in this convoy through their selected dealership roadshows, cultural showcases, and community engagement.

After completing Round 1, the expedition will continue deeper into Sabah and then head towards Sarawak and Brunei in the following rounds. 

Real-world drive experience across Borneo

The convoy serves a real-world test drive across a wide range of terrain, including city roads, coastal highways, mountain ascents, long-distance rural stretches and mixed-weather conditions across Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. The fleet consists of - 

• Proton Saga, Malaysia’s Iconic Sedan
• Proton X50, Malaysia’s King of SUVs
• Proton S70, Malaysia’s Sporty Sedan

With the help of this expedition, Proton demonstrates how its vehicles support the needs of East Malaysian people, who usually travel longer distances and in varied terrain conditions. It also highlights the brand’s continued focus on enhancing quality, ownership experience and customer confidence.

“As a national automotive brand, our responsibility goes beyond building vehicles. It is about building meaningful relationships with the communities that have supported us throughout the years,” said Dato’ Ir. Abdul Rashid Musa, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of PROTON.

“Sabah and Sarawak are home to generations of loyal PROTON customers, and the PROTON 10,000 sMILEs Expedition reflects our appreciation for their continued support. Through this journey, we want to strengthen our connection with the people of East Malaysia, showcase how our vehicles perform in real-world conditions, and continue building trust through better products, stronger aftersales support and meaningful community engagement while celebrating the unique culture, traditions and destinations across Borneo,” he added.

A brief look at Proton’s growth in East Malaysia

Since 2018, Proton has recorded a strong growth in East Malaysia. The brand’s sales grew from 7,697 units to 29,461 units in 2025, representing a significant increase of 283%, while market share doubled from 10% to 21% over the same period.

Currently, the automaker operates 26 sales and service outlets across Sabah and Sarawak, along with two outlets in Brunei. These are backed by a dedicated Regional Parts Centre, which ensures timely parts availability and service efficiency in the region.

Also read: Proton e.MAS hits 20,000-unit sales milestone; e.MAS 5 remains Malaysia’s top-selling EV