Zakirin
BATU PAHAT — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has strongly denied malicious claims circulating on social media that he purchased a new luxury BMW for personal use.
Addressing the issue during his speech at the Yok! Meriahkan Johor! Undi Harapan program in Senggarang, Batu Pahat, Anwar dismissed the allegations as deliberate lies meant to tarnish his image.
“Some people are saying that Anwar talks about wanting to help the poor, but then he goes and buys a large, brand-new BMW. I did not buy it; it is an old car. Why must you lie?” he told the crowd.
The Mercedes-Benz Gifted by the Agong
Setting the record straight on his official transportation, the Prime Minister also detailed the status of a Mercedes-Benz he frequently uses.
Anwar clarified that the vehicle was a royal gift from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim. However, he emphasized that he refused to register it as his own private property.
“The one I am using now was gifted by the Agong, and I did not take it as my personal belonging. I registered it under the Prime Minister’s Department,” Anwar explained. “Do not think I am like others who steal and take the people’s money.”
Existing Government Asset Under BIUPA
The Prime Minister’s public denial comes just days after the Prime Minister’s Department (JPM) and the Protocol and International Conference Secretariat Division (BIUPA) issued a joint statement to clear the air regarding the BMW.
According to the official statement released earlier this week, the BMW is an existing government asset placed under the care of BIUPA. The highly secured vehicle, designed to withstand ballistic threats and explosives, is typically reserved for official national logistics, such as transporting visiting foreign heads of state.
The JPM clarified that Anwar’s use of the BMW was strictly temporary and based on the security assessment and advice of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). The temporary switch was necessary because the Prime Minister’s official vehicle—the Mercedes-Benz gifted by the Agong—was undergoing scheduled periodic maintenance.
