Flawed Excuses By A Lame MB

In the midst of petrol's price hike and preemptive measures being taken to face recession, the state government of Terengganu cuts its spending in all aspects including the allocation for the recent Sultan's birthday. Therefore, not a single title from the palace was conferred on anybody this year. Surprisingly, the manifestation of 'cost cutting measures' also includes the purchase of 14 E-Class Mercedeses to replace the existing Perdanas used by the state executive councilors. One of the reasons given to justify this purchase is that the Perdanas were incurring high cost of maintenance thus the state state councilors found this purchase as necessary. I beg to differ due to a few reasons.

Firstly, i'm skeptical with the figures published pertaining to the cost to maintain these perdanas. Although a few of my friends themselves do face the same problem of gearbox, i just think that it's not enough to contribute to such high figures. I'm more skeptical with the fact that such high cost to maintain perdanas is only incurred on those owned by Terengganu's state councilors. Majority of cabinet members and state councilors throughout the country also use the same model of Proton, but they do not spend as much as the Terengganu's state councilors did on their cars. Perhaps these models owned by the Terengganu's state councilors are Proton Perdana 'special edition' or maybe the MB travels to and fro everyday on unpaved roads? My suspicious mind keeps saying that that the flaws in claim system and procedures of these cars are the ones that contribute to the high cost, not the cars themselves. If this were to be true, a more scrupulous claim system would save the state government from purchasing new cars.

For argument's sake, even if it's true that old Perdana cars require high maintenance , there is still no justification for them to be replaced by E-Class Mercedeses. Why must they be so rigid by defending their position to buy these cars? Why must it be E-Class? Why not Toyota Camry, Honda Accord or even lower end of Mercedes such as C-Class? If low cost is the main criteria of this purchase, Japanese cars which are known as requring low maintenance and fuel consumption would be the best choice then, not continental cars.

I'm also appalled by the statement of its MB that he needs a comfortable ride such as E-Class to travel from his house to Kuala Terengganu. Other state councilors and even the PM found that they are more than able to perform their duties by just traveling in a Proton Perdana, but maybe some breed just requires a better car to be able to do so. Whatever reasons the state councilors gave to support their action, people will still get the perception that cost was never the real reason, but their desire to use a luxury car is. I'm also amused by their determination in defending their decision and possession of the cars, the sort of vehemence which the rakyat have been waiting to see in their state councilors when they perform their public duties. However, the rakyat are too lucky to see it prevails in this cars issue.

I believe that the decision to keep the Perdanas for excos' use and the Mercedeses for state guests as beating the purpose of the initial purchase of these Mercedeses. Now, the state will have to maintain all of them. There is no cost saving at all in the long run.14 Mercedeses to be used by the state guests. Isn't this superfluous? Unless the excos are the state guests themselves, the number 14 will start to make some sense. I also feel that the best decision was to dispose the Mercedeses. Although the state will have to bear some losses, at least it will allay damage on the party's image and send a clear signal to the rest of the states that same action will be taken against them if they were to repeat the same mistake. Dear Prime Minister, please give a succinct message to the rest of the MBs that if they ever wish to use a S-Class or Bentley, please leave the public office and just be a CEO of their company to be able to buy it on their own capacity. As long as they are in public office, just forget such dream. At least have the courtesy to not do so during tough times like these when rakyat are facing the heat of the current food and oil price.

With all due respect, any sort of political compromises to strengthen or garner supports prior to party's election must not be at the expense of the rakyat. As petty as this issue may seem, it will do nothing less in providing more bullets to the opposition especially PAS to wrest the state from BN . Juxtaposition of this issue with the others is a perfect remedy to put the ruling state government on a slippery slope prior to the next general election.