PETALING JAYA: Former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has criticised the DAP-led Penang state government over the purchase of a new Mercedes-Benz S560e for Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.
The official car, which cost RM458,000, replaces a Mercedes S300L bought in 2013 for RM298,263.
Syed Saddiq said in a Facebook posting this evening that there was no need for a luxury car at a time when many people were out of jobs because of Covid-19, and others affected by the worsening floods in certain parts of the country.
“We must be fair! Before this we had criticised the Kelantan PAS leadership over their new Mercedes-Benz official vehicles and for taking a pay rise during the time of Covid-19. Now, it is just the same,” he said.
Chow quoted as saying that “I just got the car yesterday, I don’t know the details of the purchase”. The state secretary said the purchase of the new car was approved at a state executive council meeting in November 2019.
The purchase of new cars for chief ministers and menteris besar has come under criticism in the past.
Last year, the Kelantan government was criticised for its purchase of 14 Mercedes-Benz cars for its menteri besar and state executive council members.
In 2014, then Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng defended the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz S300L saying it was better in the long run, and that it took into account the safety and security of state leaders. - FMT
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