KUALA LUMPUR, June 11 (Bernama) -- Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai
said today he would give up the WWW 15 vehicle registration number that was
given to him for free by the Road Transport Department (RTD).
He said as he did not bid or tender for the number, it should go to the
highest bidder.
Liow was criticised following the list of successful bidders for the
coverted WWW vehicle registration numbers, appearing on the RTD website, which
named him as the owner of WWW 15, at RM24,200.
He said his officer had followed the proper procedure to request for the
registration number to use for the minister''s official car, and on June 6, had
received an official letter from RTD confirming that he got the number, for
free.
"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 in
a statement, here.
-- MORE
LIOW-WWW15 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR
Following the controversy, RTD director-general Datuk Solah Mat Hassan said
that as health minister, Liow was entitled to get the vehicle plate number for
free.
He also later offered Liow three choices - he could get the number for
free, pay the amount he had originally bidded or reject the offer.
The ''WWW'' registration numbers had in total raked in RM12 million in sales
for RTD.
-- BERNAMA
VMP MOK MO