KUALA LUMPUR – The PAS-led Terengganu government has clarified that the 10 new sports utility vehicles circulated on social media yesterday were indeed purchased for the official use of state executive council members in May.
The vehicles, however, have yet to be handed over to the council members, State Secretary Datuk Seri Tengku Farok Hussin Tengku Abd Jalil said.
He added that the purchase of the vehicles was necessary to save on maintenance costs for official government vehicles.
“The Terengganu government’s administrative budget was used to purchase the SUVs to replace the old official government vehicles.
“So far, these SUVs, bought in May, have not been distributed, including to state exco members.
“This purchase doesn’t need to be politicised because it was approved through the state government’s administrative budget last year,” he said after visiting the disaster operations room in Kuala Terengganu today.
Tengku Farok Hussin said buying new official vehicles was not against the rules as it was approved in the state’s 2022 budget.
“The state government also approved the purchase of four-wheel-drive vehicles for the state’s Forestry Department, but that purchase was not disputed, including by political leaders.
“It is usual practice for the state government to provide new vehicles to department heads, including the state government excos,” he said.
Yesterday, state government leaders were urged to provide an explanation for the purchase of SUVs after pictures of them went viral on social media, claiming they were used by the state’s menteri besar and executive councillors.
Former Terengganu Umno information chief Wan Abdul Hakim Wan Mokhtar said the state government should issue a statement regarding the alleged purchase of Mazda-type SUVs.
He also asked the state government to provide justification for the need for new vehicle purchases now for the state.
Wan Abdul Hakim said this will not be an issue if it is already included in the state’s budget.
In fact, he said Mazda-type SUVs were cheaper when compared to Mercedes-type vehicles, which were purchased by Kelantan executive councillors for RM3.5 million in 2020. – December 27, 2023