KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Derrick Lim is a man who leads by example.
As president of Porsche Club Malaysia (PCM), the businessman has not one but six Porsches, underscoring his passion for all things Porsche.
The Lim family has a Macan, Cayenne and four 911s that include the 997 GT3 RS 4.0.
Lim counts the GT3 RS as his "all-time favourite", which he takes for a spin once in a while.
He said the Macan, Cayenne and occasionally the other 911s serve as his daily ride.
The club Lim headed started with less than 10 members in 1998 and grew to 2,000 today, of which 400 are active members.
Today saw PCM turned a new chapter with the opening of its office at Porsche Centre Sungai Besi in Kuala Lumpur. The office is located on the first floor of the showroom.
Present at the opening ceremony were Sime Darby Auto Performance chairman Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir and its CEO, Christopher Hunter.
Lim emphasised that PCM is the only legitimate Porsche club in Malaysia, which has been recognised and licensed by Porsche AG, Germany since 2003. Globally, it is the 170th club on the rolls of the German high performance car maker. It is also registered with the Registrar of Societies.
Lim cautioned that there were local clubs using the Porsche name that were not the "real McCoy" and have sown confusion among the public.
"So if you want to join a club, join the rightful one," Lim urges new Porsche owners.
Club activities include frequent drives and social events throughout the year for members to get together to enjoy their passion. Events include track days, drive clinics, road rallies and social drives.
Activities are funded by membership fees and sponsorship.
On the international front, PCM has ambitions to forge a regional bloc of clubs called Porsche Club Asia, similar to what is seen in the US and Europe that aims to expand the community of Porschephiles.
In 2019, PCM signed an MoU with clubs from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, China, Cambodia, South Korea and Hong Kong to cultivate closer ties. With signs of recovery from the pandemic in 2022, PCM aims to get the momentum going for Porsche Club Asia.
To be a PCM member, one must own a Porsche car or have ready access to a Porsche. The annual membership fee is RM600, while first-time applicants also pay a one-time registration fee of RM400.
For more information, visit http://www.porscheclub.my/ or https://www.facebook.com/porscheclubmalaysia.
