Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir has denied a blogger’s claim that the state government had bought a new official car for him to replace the old one that was purchased in 2006.

On the contrary, Mukhriz said the Mercedes Benz S300 which he used as an official car in Kuala Lumpur was bought with his own money two years ago to save the state government’s expenses.

He said the car's registration plate bearing the Kedah government’s name and crest was to facilitate entry to Istana Negara and other official businesses.

“The Kedah government did not buy any new official cars for state executive councillors and me after the general election last year,” he said after attending the state government’s monthly assembly at Wisma Darul Aman in Alor Setar today.

Mukhriz said a Mercedes Benz S350 bearing the registration number KCX 8 which he used as an official car was bought when the late Azizan Abdul Razak was the menteri besar while a Mercedes Benz S320 (KBV 8) was bought in 2006 when Mahdzir Khalid was at the helm.

“I have more important things to focus on and not bogged down by a trivial matter like this,” said Mukhriz.

Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng had a bad press for buying a Mercedes-Benz S300L as his official car as he had criticised Terengganu’s decision to get Mercedes-Benz as official cars in 2008 by describing it as unthoughtful.

- Bernama