Fit for a King: New Toyota Crown Royal Saloon sedans for Cabinet ministers are parked in front of the Presidential Palace, Jakarta on Monday. The government will provide 150 of these expensive cars to Cabinet members and heads of state institutions. JP/Mustaqim Adamrah
Mounting public scrutiny into the Bank Century bailout has not seemed to discourage the government from making another controversial move, providing Cabinet members with the new Toyota Crown Royal Saloon, sparking public resentment.
State Secretary Sudi Silalahi said Monday about 150 of the luxury cars for the former Cabinet, about double the price of the Toyota Camry, had been distributed not just to 39 new ministers, but also to dozens of state institution heads.
He denied each car was priced at Rp 1.3 billion (US$138,000), saying they cost less than Rp 1
billion.
Detik.com reported, however, that the car, including tax, is worth Rp 1.32 billion, citing PT Toyota-Astra Motor marketing director Joko Trisanyoto.
Currently the Camry is priced at between Rp 458 million and Rp 641 million, with a choice of a 2,400- or 3,500-cubic-centimeter engine.
Sudi also said the new car procurement used the 2009 state budget and had been long endorsed by the House of Representatives from the previous period.
House Speaker Marzuki Alie and People’s Consultative Assembly Speaker Taufik Kiemas are among senior state officials entitled to the new cars.
“I don’t think there’s anything extraordinary [about the procurement of the cars]. It’s not a luxury car; it’s a Toyota, though maybe a grade above the Camry,” Sudi said.
“The old Camrys have been used for five years and they’re no longer effective. I had to maintain my Camry regularly.”
The Camry is a notoriously reliable car from the word’s No. 1 auto manufacturer.
He said the government had used Toyotas as official vehicles because they were common in Indonesia, which made it easy to get spare parts and service.
Sudi added some ministers had refused to use the new cars. State Cooperatives and SME Minister Syarifuddin Hasan, for instance, preferred to use his Mercedes-Benz as his official car.
Separately, the former deputy chief of the House budgetary committee, Harry Azhar, told The Jakarta Post he had not heard about the bidding for the new cars, which may create a new problem.
Citing a 2006 government regulation on goods and services procurements, he said a bidding process should be held for any project worth more than Rp 50 million.
Harry acknowledged the House had approved Rp 62.5 billion to pay the taxes for the cars, but he did not know what other post in the state budget the government used to finance the cars’ procurement.
Officials entitled to the 3,000-cubic-centimeter Crowns, said to have been distributed Sunday, received the cars with mixed reaction.
State Environment Minister Gusti Muhammad Hatta expressed “thanks to Yudhoyono” and Assembly Speaker Taufik said he would use the car as it was a gift “from the people”.
Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Radjasa said the new car was narrower than his old Camry, while Industry Minister M.S. Hidayat and House Speaker Marzuki similarly said they were more comfortable with their Mercedes.
“My Mercedes is more comfortable. I only use the Toyota Crown on Mondays,” Hidayat said, adding he had returned the old Camry to the State Secretariat but would not turn in the new Crown.
