IPOH, 27 Feb 2009: Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin today returned the keys to the menteri besar’s official residence to the Perak government but refused to hand over the Toyota Camry car that is used for official duties.
Mohammad Nizar and his family had moved out of the menteri besar’s official residence on Jalan Raja Dihilir here on 21 Feb.
His special officer Amran Harun, who returned the keys to assistant state secretary Shamshuzaman Sulaiman on Mohammad Nizar’s behalf, said the decision to keep the car was not a refusal to adhere a directive from state secretary Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Hashim but because he merely wanted to keep the car as an official legal symbol of the state government.
“The Toyota Camry bearing registration number AGS 10 will not be returned by Mohammad Nizar until a decision is made by the court on whether he or Datuk Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir is the legitimate menteri besar of Perak,” Amran told reporters here today.
“He will continue to use the car for daily official duties and will surrender the car if the court declares Zambry as the menteri besar,” he said.
Meanwhile, Shamshuzaman said all the state executive councillors under Mohammad Nizar administration had already returned their official Toyota Camry cars.
Apart from the 10 Toyota Camry cars, five other cars used for official purposes were also returned, he said.
Meanwhile, a source from the state secretary’s office said that as a standard operating procedure, Mohammad Nizar must return the car.
“In this case, when Zambry was appointed menteri besar by the sultan of Perak, his (Mohammad Nizar’s) position automatically became void and he should return everything allocated to him officially,” the source told Bernama today.
The source added that if the court were to decide that Mohammad Nizar was the rightful menteri besar, then he can enjoy such allocations and facilities again.
The source also said that using the crest “Menteri Besar” on his Toyota Camry car contravened the procedures and showed disrespect to the sultan. — Bernama
Sunny says
So at the end of the day it is because he did not want to give up the car that he loves. It’s not about anything else but the Camry.