T'ganu gets PM's nod for Mercedes

Source : Malaysiakini

Controversy surrounding the Terengganu government's decision to purchase 14 Mercedes E200 Kompressors for RM3.43mil was laid to rest today following the prime minister's blessing for the new luxury cars.

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Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Said said that Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has approved the state government's use of the luxury cars in place of Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars.

Ahmad had met Abdullah yesterday after the Umno Supreme Council meeting last night.

He said that he explained to the prime minister on the need to replace the Proton executive cars and obtained Abdullah's blessings for the change.

Speaking to reporters in Kuala Terengganu today, Ahmad said he had a cordial meeting with both Abdullah and deputy prime minister Najib Abdul Razak yesterday.

"We reached a consensus on the matter during the meeting at Putra World Trade Centre. The matter has been solved," he said.

He also said that he had received support from other state leaders and ministers the use of the new luxury cars.

The state government ran into trouble after replacing the national cars, bought in 2004, with the high-end Mercedes Benzs on the ground of cost cutting.

The state government said that it was spending too much money in maintaining the Proton Perdanas.

The new official vehicles were started to be used yesterday, on the same day when the cabinet said it was against such a move, especially when there was a government directive for all civil servants to use local cars.

At the same time, the Anti-Corruption Agency too has started probing into the claims of high costs of maintaining the 16 Proton Perdana executive cars.

ACA officers had visited the Terengganu state secretariat yesterday to question several officials.

Ahmad also welcomed the ACA probe into the matter.