PUTRAJAYA, Jan 10 ― The government is keeping local marque Proton Perdana for use as the official car for federal ministers and senior government officials, Lim Guan Eng said today.
The finance minister confirmed that the government will not be switching to another brand as widely speculated in public following viral images of a fleet of Toyota Vellfire for ministers and Honda Accords for senior government officials to replace the ageing Proton Perdana and Toyota Camry currently in service.
“They did not have enough for the ministers and the deputy ministers. That is why we gave the option if there is not enough, you can choose others,” he told reporters, referring to Proton Perdana.
“But now we have confirmation that there is enough Proton Perdana, that is why we maintain that ministers and deputy ministers will use Proton Perdana,” he added after attending his ministry’s monthly assembly at the Federal Treasury here this morning.
Lim explained that the Japanese imports were merely given as an option after the company in which the government intended to appoint as a supplier indicated that it did not have sufficient stock of Proton Perdana cars.
The procurement came after the expiry of the 25-year concession with supplier Spanco Sdn Bhd last year.
It was reported that the government initiative to end the deal with Spanco was meant to cut operating costs.
Today, Lim said the government will make a proper announcement on the details of the procurement soon as they are finalising the contract with the intended company.
He stressed that the Ministry of Finance’s procurement committee, of which he is not a member, made the decision to appoint the company.
