Yes, we will be changing our government soon but did our politicians change their cars too?

By now you would have learned that Malaysia is in the midst of changing its government, just 21 months after the 14^th general election. We will leave the political commentary to other media outlets but as an automotive publication, we can’t help but ask “What happened to all their Proton Perdana official cars?”

Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir was seen leaving Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s supreme council meeting in Yayasan Selangor in a Volvo S90 T8 Twin Engine bearing registration number VEJ 2030.

Tun’s official car is a long wheelbase Proton Perdana bearing registration number Proton 2020. Perhaps he didn’t use his official car because he was attending an event not in his capacity as a Prime Minister but as Chairman of Parti Pribumi Bersatu?

Meanwhile, PKR President Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim arrived at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya this morning in an older, fourth generation Lexus LS bearing registration number KCS 727.

Anwar’s Lexus is not just any LS but a Lexus LS 600h L, a full-hybrid variant that is probably rarer than many other exotic cars in Malaysia. Very few units were sold here and the LS 600h L is easily identified by its full-LED headlamps. The Lexus LS 600h was the first car in the world to feature LEDs for both high and low beams.

Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng was the only one that is using a Malaysian car, arriving at the PMO’s office earlier today in a long wheelbase Proton Perdana bearing registration number PNS 3, which we have to add, doesn’t comply with JPJ’s regulations on spacing between the letters.

Late yesterday, a convoy of cars drove into Istana Negara. News reports said the group included Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, PKR deputy president Datuk Seri Azmin Ali, UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, Parti Warisan Sabah president and Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal, PBB president and Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

However, we can’t tell who was in which car. Among the vehicles spotted were three Toyota Alphard/Vellfire, a Mercedes-Benz S450L, and a BMW 740 Le.

There was only one Proton in the convoy, a Proton Perdana.

Meanwhile, didn’t someone say something about the importance of upholding national pride and the importance of supporting the third national car project?