Monday, July 28, 2008

MONDAY-28 JULY 2008- ACA DETAINS PROTON PERDANA CARS, TERENGGANU SENIOR OFFICIALS


ACA detains Proton Perdana cars, Terengganu senior officials


KUALA TERENGGANU:

The Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) has detained eight Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars of Terengganu Executive Coundilors (Excos) and senior State officials in connection with its investigation into their high cost of maintenance. Terengganu ACA Chief Sharuddin Sapian, when contacted by Bernama here yesterday, said four were detained on Thursday and while the other four on Friday. However, be declined to elaborate on the matter. On Saturday, Sharuddin had said that the ACA had questioned nine individuals in connection with the case. On Thursday, the ACA began a probe in to the matter after Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said alleged that the Perdana cars were uneconomical to use because of the high maintenance costs. The 14 Mercedes E200 Kompressor cars purchased by the Terengganu Government will be used temporarily as official cars for the State Executive Council members and senior State Government officers. Meanwhile, Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said the cars would be used pending completion of the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA)’s investigations into the high maintenance cost of the State’s fleet of Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars. He said the ACA had taken the Proton Perdana cars that were used by the State Executive Councillors and officers. “So the Executive Council members and officers will have to use the Mercedes... the Prime Minister had also said that (we) can use the Mercedes cars once in a while,” he told reporters at a dinner with State Umno leaders here on Saturday night. State Tourism and Culture, Arts and Heritage Committee Chairman Datuk Za’abar Mohd Adib arrived to attend the Malaysia Flora Fest 2008 in Johor Baharu on Saturday in one of the new Mercedes cars. Two days ago, Prime Minister Datuk Seri AbdullahAhmad Badawi announced that the Terengganu Government could keep the Mercedes Benzes, but only for use by its guests and not for the State Exco members and its senior officers. Asked whether the State Government would purchase a new fleet of Proton Perdana V6 Executive, Ahmad said: “If we are to buy the (Proton Perdana) cars, it will be next year. That too, if (we) have money”. In a related development, be sai the State Government had n intention of tarnishing the image of former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh when making public the high maintenance cost of the Proton Perdana which he used while in office. “It was not directed at Idris. There was no abuse, only that it was a coincidence that the car was used by the (former) Menteri Besar. Actually, the figure that was announced was wrong and the State Secretary (Datuk Mokhtar Nong) had apologised,” he added.