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Yoursay: K’tan PAS unravels mysteries of motoring economics

YOURSAY | ‘Mercedes is a good brand but costs more to buy and maintain. No ifs and buts.’

Mercedes purchased for need, not for luxury – deputy K'tan MB

Vijay47: Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, for most of this article I gave you the benefit of the doubt since it was highly possible that you had unravelled the mysteries of motoring economics which had befuddled mankind ever since Henry Ford went for his evening drive in his Model T.

But I had to stamp on the brakes when you dragged in Tok Guru (the late PAS spiritual leader Nik Aziz Nik Mat) in a cheap attempt to justify the Mercedes, bearing in mind the slight gulf in credibility between the two of you.

If the Old Man (Tok Guru, not the other Old Man) had purchased even a Koenigsegg CCXR Trevita, no one would have questioned it knowing that there would certainly be valid reasons behind the acquisition. Such was his integrity.

Meanwhile, back at the workshop, please explain why the maintenance costs of a Honda or Toyota is that much higher than for your Mercedes.

And coming in closely 0.263 seconds behind, who is the lucky soul who got the Toyota and Honda contracts? God, please don’t let it be another brother-in-law or nephew.

Finally, I am quite taken up by your assertion of “Going by the rules, the vehicles can be changed after five years”. May I please know what rules these be?

I’ve been married more than 25 years. Needless to say, to only one.

Steve Oh: The most reliable car for senior public servants is Toyota Camry. Toyota cars are robust and do the job.

Mercedes – I have had several S classes and driven the E class – (these) have strong and lasting engines, but the ancillary bits always let you done, especially the electronics. And they are highly expensive to replace.

Mercedes fits in the luxury car category. It is a good brand but costs more to buy and maintain. No ifs and buts.

Tholu: Amar, you are not prevented from purchasing a Mercedes-Benz for official use by your officials. You can even buy a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley GT 4.0 Mulliner if you wish.

But please do not make a hypocritical statement in attempting to defend the purchase of the car by saying it was for need and not for luxury. Just say you want to show off and impress your friends and relatives.

If you talk about need, a mid-range car such as a Honda or a Toyota costing around RM80,000 will suffice. I am sure you know about how the new Italian prime minister arrived by taxi to meet the Italian president.

Hang Babeuf: Yes, true, "purchased for need". On what basis, evidence and grounds? On the basis that some people (in all sincerity, too!) say "I need a Mercedes"?

It is quite natural, really. Some people simply need a Mercedes to feel okay about themselves. Nothing else, nothing less, will do. A clear and demonstrable basis of need!

The Wakandan: It’s a good decision to buy the Merc but Amar’s reason that it’s cheaper to maintain, really sucks. Either he is extremely stupid or he is just pathetically car ignorant.

Considering the dire financial situation that the state is in, questions must be asked whether the purchase is at an opportune time.

I can’t believe a high official would give this kind of answer. If that is all that the Kelantanese has got, then God bless you all.

Anonymous 2460431488547967: Amar, based on your comments, I will have to swap my old faithful Honda Accord of 15 years for a new Mercedes soon – if I can afford it.

How come financially savvy and normal laypersons like us seem to believe in financial myths until people like Amar come along and enlighten us on this matter?

RZee: At the end of the day, these so-called holy men who propound the simple things in life and impose it on the Kelantanese, are actually capitalists who use their religion for capitalist purposes.

Do they care whether the Kelantanese have enough to eat and a good job and a good life or is the luxury car more important to these hypocrites? What about buying a Proton Perdana? It is cheaper and certainly enough for these so-called holy men.

And buying luxury cars when the state can’t even afford to pay its civil servants and need the federal government to help out? What kind of economics is this and is this the way to run a state? 

OKYOKYOKY: Even the Mercedes salesperson wouldn't dare to make such claims (that Mercedes is cheaper to maintain). This is the same man who said that PAS deliberately runs Kelantan to have less economic growth.

With such leaders in PAS, their members should be embarrassed.

Zahid confirms SD exploring tie-up with all, including Harapan, PAS

Anonymous_3f49: Pakatan Harapan should not take the easy option. They should offer sincere transparent and effective leadership in government and remain confident in challenging whatever the discredited opposition might throw at them, including playing up the same old divisive sentiments relating to the race and religion.

Have you still got what it takes to offer the rakyat? This is Harapan's first real test in six decades to offer true leadership in real government. Don't ball it up and revert to the status quo.

The Umno leftovers should be consigned to history as they have finally proven to be unfit to govern, and thus are not welcome.

CintaMalaysia: BN MPs and previous cabinet ministers have yet to answer for their crime being in complicit and having defended the humongous corruption crime of 1MDB that has burdened the rakyat for years and years to come.

No, we do not forget so easily arrogant and oppressive attitude and the gross lifestyle of BN leaders. There is no forgiveness from us until they have formally apologised and be prosecuted for their crimes.

EasyMoney: Umno, how about some confidence building exercise first? First, support Harapan reform agenda. Second, help put away all corrupt BN politicians. Then we talk.


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