Anwar Cancels New Merc Ordered By A Previous Pm

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The S600 is the top variant of the Mercedes-Maybach line of luxury saloons with prices starting at RM1.35 million.PETALING JAYA: An order for a new Mercedes S600 limousine by the Prime Minister’s Department has been cancelled, Anwar Ibrahim said today. He said the order was made by a previous prime minister, but did not specify who it was.
The prime minister said the cancellation was made following a detailed review of whether the order could be cancelled.
“The Mercedes has not arrived yet, so I’m using this (Toyota Camry), okay? (I’ll just use) any car that’s available,” he said in jest to reporters outside PKR headquarters here where Anwar, as Pakatan Harapan chairman, attended a coalition meeting.
“Actually, this (the S-class Mercedes) was ordered by a previous prime minister, but I checked to see whether we could cancel. (Thankfully) we could.”
Yesterday, Anwar said he had turned down the use of the newly-bought Mercedes as his official car, which had been bought by the Prime Minister’s Department before he began work as prime minister on Friday.
He had said no new official car would be bought for his use and no renovations carried out at his office, as part of a new culture against wastage of public funds that must be practised by all.
According to Berita Harian, the purchase of the Mercedes was mooted during the time of the Muhyiddin Yassin government and then approved by Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s government.
Earlier today, an aide to Ismail said there was nothing extraordinary about Anwar turning down a new official vehicle.
Ruhaidini Abd Kadir, who is Ismail’s press secretary, said Ismail had also turned down the option of using a new official car and of living in Seri Perdana, the official residence in Putrajaya, when he became prime minister in August last year.
The S600 is the top of the range model in the Mercedes-Maybach line of luxury saloons. Retail prices begin at about RM1.35 million. - FMT

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