Cabinet Decides Terengganu Has To Use Perdana As The Official Car

PUTRAJAYA, July 25 (Bernama) -- The Cabinet has decided that the Terengganu government has to use the Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars as the official cars of its executive councillors while the Mercedes Benz cars it has bought will be used for guests of the state government, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Friday.
The prime minister said selling the purchased Mercedes Benz E200 Kompressor cars would incur a loss.
This matter was conveyed to Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said Thursday at a meeting with him (Abdullah) and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, he said.
"Yesterday, Najib and I discussed the matter (of the Mercedes Benz cars) at a meeting with the Terengganu menteri besar and stated that the important thing was that the Cabinet had decided that the Terengganu government not use the Mercedes cars for its executive councillors," he said.
Abdullah spoke to reporters after officiating the National Academic Awards 2007 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre, here.
Ahmad had said earlier Friday that he considered closed the issue of the purchase of the 14 Mercedes Benz cars after his meeting with Abdullah and Najib.
When asked if this meant that the Terengganu government had been given the go-ahead to use the cars, he declined comment and told newsmen to make their own interpretation.
Abdullah, when asked whether the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) would investigate the possibility of corruption in the organisation of the Monsoon Cup sailing event, said it was up to the ACA to determine that.
Replying to another question, Abdullah said the government did not plan to set up an economic advisory committee but would form an economic consultative committee in providing inputs to the government.

tunku : pak lah said that the trengganu exco members and state officers CANNOT use the mercedes which the state bought recently.the 14 mercedes cars will be used for foreign dignitaries when they visits the state.now the state had purchased the cars but can't use them. this means they have to buy another 14 cars (perdana).does this make any sense? what to do now, they had purchased the mercedes.like the mb said earlier, mercedes last longer, let them use the car for at least 10-15years.it will be waste of money to purchase extra 14 cars for the exco and officers. when the next time they wants to purchase car, make sure it's a national car.how many foreign dignitaries visits trengganu at one time? they won't be using 14 cars at one time.

Idris Jusoh Appoints Lawyer Over Perdana V6 Maintenance Statement

BESUT, July 25 (Bernama) -- Former Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh has appointed a lawyer to study what action to take over a statement that maintenance of his Proton Perdana V6 Executive was highest among the State Executive Council (Exco) members.
His special officer Kamarulazman Idris said the move was necessary as the statement had tarnished the reputation of Idris, the State Assemblyman for Jerteh.
He said although the state government had apologised, the statement showed that the Terengganu leadership had acted in haste without thinking of the consequences.
"Terengganu people are confused by the claim that the maintenance of Idris' Proton Perdana V6 Executive when he was the Menteri Besar was the highest," he said in a statement Friday.
Kamarulzaman said the issue should not be politicised as it could tarnish Idris' image especially when he was away and could not reply.

tunku : the state secretary has made a statement yesterday that idris car maintenance was actually RM100000 above and not RM200000 above as stated earlier. so i guess idris will be wasting his time and money on lawyers.may be can use the lawyer to counter of the possible corrupt charges(if there is any) later on. trengganu mb,ahmad said earlier was commenting on the ACA investigation on the perdana's maintenance cost issue, he said that the ACA should also investigates the monsoon cup,the pusat tamadun islam constructions etc which he believes was build with "extra" cost under idris jusoh.we hope the ACA will look into it.