GEORGE TOWN, Jan 7— The Penang state government has purchased a new Mercedes-Benz S560e luxury hybrid saloon as Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow’s replacement official car on December 31, 2020.

Chow was spotted alighting from the brand new car in today when he attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) councillors at the City Hall here.

"I just got the car yesterday, I don’t know the details of the purchase, the state secretary will issue a statement on this soon,” he said when asked about his car at the City Hall.

State secretary Datuk Abdul Razak Jaafar then issued a statement confirming the purchase of the 2019 model at a price of RM458,122.78, almost double the price of the previous official car used by Chow.

He said the new car was to replace the existing official car which was bought back in 2013.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow alights from the brand new Mercedes-Benz S560e at Wisma DAP in George Town January 7, 2021. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin

"The state exco approved the purchase on November 29 in 2019,” he said.

He said the car was purchased with a discount of RM127,765.22 from its original price.

The previous car was a long-wheelbase model Mercedes-Benz S300L that was bought in 2013 when Lim Guan Eng was the chief minister at that time.

The previous car was bought at a price of RM298,263.75.