KUALA TERENGGANU: The Pas-led Terengganu state government has been urged to come clean and explain to the people the alleged procurement of a fleet of sport utility vehicles (SUV) for the official use of the Menteri Besar and state executive councillors.
Former Terengganu Umno Youth chief Wan Abdul Hakim Wan Mokhtar said it was important for the state government to inform the people if the procurement of the vehicles was necessary or otherwise.
Although the procurement of the new vehicles was not against the law, Wan Abdul Hakim described the matter as 'awkward' and unnecessary due to the financial situation of the state.
"There is no issue is whether the procurement of the vehicles was made according to the procedures and that it was allocated in the 2023 state Budget or whether the procurement was made using the fund from Terengganu Inc (or its subsidiary companies) which was approved by its Boards of Directors.
"The issue is whether the procurement is necessary since the special payment from the federal government on petroleum royalty was limited in its amount.
"If this is the case, how will the state government pay for other expenditures which are required in the state Budget for 2023?
"Which one is more important? The (welfare and wellbeing of the) people or the state executive councillors?," he said in a statement today.
Wan Abdul Hakim, who is also the Kemaman Umno division committee member, also questioned the state government if there are contractors or suppliers who have yet to receive their payment.
"Is it true the government is considering to introduce charges related to land as an effort to generate more revenue for the state?
"The amount used (by the Terengganu state government) to procure the new vehicles is not as much compared to the ones made by the Kelantan (state government) which procured a fleet of luxury cars worth RM3.5 million in 2020 for the use of their state executive councillors.
"However, the question is, if such a procurement is necessary?."
Several days ago, pictures of a fleet of SUV allegedly for the official use of Terengganu state executive councillors went viral on the social media.
