Saturday, January 19, 2013

Liow finally gives up WWW15 number plate


A news reported Mr Liow after facing much continuous criticism over the bidding for the WWW 15 number-plate, Malaysia Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai today announced his decision to give up the glamour number.

The MCA deputy president reiterated in a one-paragraph statement that he did not bid for the number plate, but merely requested to acquire the number for his official car then.

"Let me reassert that I did not bid or tender for WWW15. Following the proper procedures, my office had requested for the registration number to use for the minister's official car" the statement says.
“My office received an official letter dated June 6 from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) confirming the free registration number.
'There was bidding for this number'
“As I now know there was bidding for this number, it is only right that I do not exercise my option. The number should go to the highest bidder,” he said.

Liow was given three options by JPJ - accept the offer free of charge in line with his ministerial status, pay the bidding price of RM24,200, or reject the number-plate.

What we got from the press


NONEBefore heading to the press conference in Parliament House today Mr Liow reiterated that he was not trying to run away from reporters and avoid answering questions regarding the plate number bid to most reporters.
“Which is why I am holding this press conference today to clear the air,” he said.
He also expressed “frustration” that the matter with the plate number has been going “round and round and round”, and hoped that his answers will put the matter to rest and he wish to carry on.
Mr Liow also agreed with a question from the media, that he has given up the WWW15 plate because he does not want to deprive the RTD and hence public coffers, of the bid amount, as would be the case if he were to take it for free.
The minister has been well prepared and panned for getting to be unable to answer reporters’ questions as to who had paid the bid for the number-plate, which he had claimed was for his brand new official car.
He had initially claimed that he did not know the value of the bid, saying he had left the matter in an officer’s hands.
Mr Liow also failed to give a convincing answer on the need to bid for the number, saying his grandfather was using the same number. At the same time, he said he was “okay with any number”.
He later revealed that he had received word from the RTD that he need not pay the bidding price, as he was entitled to a non-payable or so called “free” car number plate to be given to him.
Mr Liow then blamed the RTD for publishing his name as successful bidder, claiming that he was only exercising his option as a cabinet minister to obtain one preferred number without charge, and that he had not submitted the RM24,200 winning bid.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.