Guan Eng drove brand new Mercedes into controversy

(TMT) – Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng swapped his two-month old Toyota Camry for a new Mercedes-Benz as his official car and straightaway drove himself into a controversy.

Politicians and officials have different opinions with some saying it was reasonable for a chief minister but others slammed him for buying an expensive luxury car after preaching thriftiness and criticising Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders of being spendthrift.

Barisan’s Kota Belud Member of Parliament Datuk Rahman Dahlan accused Lim of being “hypocritical”.

“He accuses the federal government of being spendthrift but look at him now. Cakap tak serupa bikin (he doesn’t walk the talk),” said Rahman when contacted on Tuesday.

Rahman, who is also the minister for Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government, said that Lim had gone against “everything that he was talking about Barisan leaders”.

“He is just satisfying his ego by purchasing the car. This shows that he is a forked tongue leader,” he said.

In a press conference earlier today, Guan Eng defended himself saying, “The new car does not belong to me anyway. It belongs to the state and will likely serve the next chief minister after me.”

“As the car was offered at that price, the state considered it that it was worth the money. We want to look at this as a long-term purchase. The last Mercedes served the chief minister for 18 years, proving its durability,” he added.

Earlier today, Penang financial officer Datuk Mokhtar Jait said that the state paid RM298,263.75 for the Mercedes-Benz which Lim began to use on Monday.

The original price of the car was RM657,218 but the state got a tax exemption and a special discount of RM100,000.

However, DAP national chairman Karpal Singh, said the price was “reasonable”.

“There is nothing wrong with the purchase if the price is okay and it is done correctly,” he told The Star Online.

He pointed out that former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon had been given a Mercedes-Benz that was bought at almost RM300,000 in 1995.

“So, I think the price is reasonable and Guan Eng is entitled to it and it doesn’t matter if it’s the right time or not,” he said.