Saturday July 26, 2008

RM88,000 for upkeep of Perak exco man’s Perdana

IPOH: A Perak executive councillor’s Proton Perdana V6, inherited from the previous Barisan Nasional state government, cost a whopping RM88,000 to service and repair from 2004.

State Health, Environment and Human Resources Committee chairman A. Sivanesan said the Perdana assigned to him needed its engine and various parts fixed in the last four years.

“Now the gearbox is giving me problems, and that will cost another RM15,000,” said the Pakatan Rakyat executive council member.

“Just last Sunday, the lights failed to work when I was travelling from Parit to Bidor at night. I had to travel using my high beams,” he added.

Sivanesan said fellow executive council member Thomas Su Keong Siong’s Perdana was awaiting an overhaul while assembly Speaker V. Sivakumar needed to have his car’s gearbox changed, too.

Sivanesan said that if the Perak government needed to get new official cars he would recommend the Honda Accord or Toyota Camry.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Terengganu, Kedah Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak supported Terengganu's decision to use the Mercedes-Benz as the official car.

Azizan said the decision was timely due to the high cost of fuel.

“Assemblymen are required to travel widely and in extreme conditions where they have to rely on their vehicle.

“We are not condemning the national car but the cost of maintaining the Proton Perdanas is actually very high,” he said after opening the Hulu Terengganu’s PAS annual meeting at Kampung Lembek here yesterday.

He said one Kedah assemblyman had to change his Proton Perdana because of frequent breakdowns.

“I myself use a Mercedes-Benz as an official car,” he added.