ALOR STAR – Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who is being investigated for allegedly taking a vehicle for a test drive at Autocity Juru on Friday, has come forward to clear the air over the incident.
Sanusi said in a press conference that he was on his way to Kuala Lumpur on Friday evening for meetings with investors when the incident happened.
Accompanied by his driver and a police escort, he decided to stop at Juru to buy some snacks at a convenience store there for fear food outlets would be closed when they arrived in Kuala Lumpur.
“The shop was located near the car showroom, and we stopped next to the showroom. I asked the driver to go down to buy bread and drinks.
“I saw a lot of cars in the showroom and upon stepping out of my car, I saw the man inside the showroom stacking the vehicles. I think greeting people does not violate standard operating procedures (SOPs),” he said.
Sanusi said the salesman, who introduced himself as Mr Ong, was cleaning a car but the showroom was closed.
Ong, whom Sanusi described as very friendly and kind, introduced various models of the Ford Raptor to him and even took him on a ride in the vehicle nearby the premises.
“He moved a little. He drove, not me, and he took it to an area where there was plenty of parking. He told me the price of the car was RM200,000, but I said I couldn't afford it.
“It was when I was looking at another car model that I noticed someone recording a video, a woman, who suddenly shouted at Ong. This took me by surprise and I was subsequently called to get into my car so we could continue our trip to Kuala Lumpur.
“I will give detailed information about this to the police, who will record my statement later in the evening,” said Sanusi.
Sanusi said he did not blame the woman, known as Nini Siron, as she had no knowledge of what actually transpired.
However, he admitted to feeling upset that the woman did nothing to ascertain the actual story prior to distributing the footage on social media.
Sanusi said he was also concerned over what would happen to Ong as a result of the incident.
I’m not saying that I’m wrong or not. If there was a violation of SOPs, I apologise. It happened by chance. I like to socialise with people and love to talk.
“If I am found guilty and have to pay the compound, I will pay. If Ong is also found guilty, I will pay for him. In fact, I will also buy Nini a new smartphone after all this is done so that she can take videos that are beneficial in nature.”
Meanwhile, Penang police chief Datuk Sahabudin Abdul Manan told The Vibes that police recorded statements from the complainant and several witnesses yesterday.
“The CCTV has also been checked but the camera was not facing the direction of the incident. We will record more statements from witnesses to complete the investigation,” he said.
Social media was abuzz after photos and videos of a man, believed to be Sanusi, test-driving a vehicle amid the Covid-19 lockdown were widely shared.
The SOPs state that vehicle sales and exhibition centres are not allowed to operate until June 14, when the lockdown is slated to end.
Sanusi’s political secretary Afnan Hamimi Taib Azamuddin said in a Facebook post on Saturday night that his boss was not at the dealership specifically for a test drive, but was travelling to Kuala Lumpur on an urgent matter, and was accompanied by a driver and police officer. – The Vibes, June 7, 2021
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